Ricketts on CNN: Biden, Schumer Refusing to Address Policy Change Needed to Secure the Border

December 6, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, joined CNN’s Kate Bolduan to call out Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and President Joe Biden for refusing to add real border security policy changes to a supplemental funding request for border processing and aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

“At the end of the day, it’s divided government, which means there has to be a negotiation here,” said Ricketts. “And frankly, we’ve been talking about this since September. The President put it in his supplemental package. So, he brought the border in here. The Speaker’s been very clear about what he needs to see with regard to the border. We’ve got to have some policy changes. That’s what we as Republicans in the Senate want to see.”

“I will tell you right now [the border crisis] is a real issue with the American people, and especially in my state,” Ricketts continued. “They’re concerned about the drugs coming across. They’re concerned about the terror people in the terrorist watch list. We have got to do something on the southern border. It’s going to involve policy changes. I’ve been on the border four times. And the last time I was down there, CBP was very clear. They need policy changes. And that’s what we’re asking for as Republicans to get the supplemental passed.”

Ricketts has been a consistent supporter of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. After his most recent trip to the southern border in October, Ricketts said Customs and Border Protection officials were clear they needed real policy change to get the crisis under control. Ricketts has supported Congress moving on each of these issues individually. In November, he joined a group of conservative Republicans to force a Senate vote on the House-passed Israel aid package, but Democrats blocked it.

Watch the full interview here.