Hirono Statement on National Security Supplemental Vote

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after voting yes on a procedural vote on the Senate’s national security supplemental funding bill. The measure, which needed 60 votes to advance, failed by a vote of 50-49.

“The fate of our allies should never have been pitted against the fate of migrants in search of a better life. With Ukraine’s future on the line, I voted to advance consideration of this bill today, but I object to many of the immigration provisions in this package.

Our country is in desperate need of bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform, like we attempted in 2013, to address our border and the millions of undocumented immigrants, including more than 500,000 DACA recipients, who live in and contribute to our communities. If Republicans decide to get serious about addressing immigration, I would welcome the opportunity to engage in open, good-faith negotiations on bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

###