Window For Passing Ukraine Aid Tightens Ahead Of Holiday Recess

Erik Wasser as Bloomberg reporting on X: "Lawmakers tell me there is no way House will pass Ukraine aid in 2023. [House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)] is firm on House leaving by Dec. 15 and no Senate deal in sight."

• Andrew Desiderio at Punchbowl News notes that the timeline for border negotiations, crucial to unlocking a vote on aid funding, is likely tied to passage of the National Defense Authorization Act: "[Senate Majority Whip John] Thune [R-SD] says NDAA should be done by the end of next week. This effectively sets a deadline for border/Ukraine talks. If no progress by then, Senate could go home for the holidays."
• There is still a baseline expectation that the Senate will reach some form of agreement on the US-Mexico border but time is tight. If Congress fails to legislate aid by year's end the funding package will be squeezed by budget negotiations.
• To ease the deal, President Biden indicated yesterday he would be willing to make concessions on border policy, rather than merely increasing funding and border security measures.
• Lead Democrat negotiator, Senator Mike Murphy (D-CT), told Punchbowl a short time ago that he expects a GOP counter-offer from Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today.
• Punchbowl notes that the, "Senate is leaving town for the weekend this afternoon but Murphy hints he and Lankford are staying."
• More analysis on the state of negotiations following yesterday's failed Senate vote in today's edition of our MNI US Daily Brief.