Hill: Negotiations on migrant aid continue despite moderate Dems threatening to abandon House bill

Rep. Katie Hill said Thursday negotiations on a bill that would provide migrant aid to detainment facilities are well underway, and both Republicans and Democrats agreed they need to “pass something” to address the reportedly “filthy” conditions.

“We know we need to pass something ASAP, the kids at the border cannot wait, we have to get the aid out so at this point we’re going to make sure we get the best possible deal. Clearly this is divided government in action,” the California Democrat said on CNN’s “Right Now” show.

The House and Senate have both passed bills that spend roughly the same amount of money but appropriate the funds differently.

Both bills give the majority of funds to the Health Department’s Unaccompanied Alien Children division, but the Senate bill provides funding for the Pentagon and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials that is not present in the House version.

Ms. Hill said their caucus has “been sending over improvements to the Senate bill” but responded to a CNN report that moderate Democrats are threatening to abandon the House’s version of the bill if they cannot compromise.

“What the moderate democrats want is to go home and say that we did something. The concern that I think some people are having right now is that the Senate bill plussed up some funding for ICE. That’s what makes it tough for people within our caucus,” she said.

“But the reality is we already passed this bill, we already passed this bill, everyone voted for this bill already except for four Democrats and so it’s not cutting any funding for ICE, it’s just not giving as much as the Senate wanted, so we’ve got to negotiate this, we’ve got to continue to figure this out,” she said.

Ms. Hill added “this is going to continue to develop over the next couple of hours” and said they’re not leaving for July 4th recess “until we get this thing taken care of.”

The House bill passed 230-195 Wednesday, while the Senate version passed shortly after 84-8.

Ms. Pelosi said she would not accept the Senate bill in its current form, while President Trump has vowed to veto the House bill should it get to his desk.