Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on his vote to proceed with debate on the bipartisan national security supplemental. The vote failed 49-50.

“As a voice for Georgians in the Senate, I’ve been a vocal proponent of comprehensive immigration reform because I think it’s the best way to honor our country’s values and fully address the humanitarian crisis on our southern border. Democrats and Republicans agree that there’s a crisis on our southern border and have worked dutifully in the Senate for months to negotiate a bipartisan compromise that would address the emergency on our border.

“To be clear, this is not the bill I would have drafted. There are immigration provisions contained in this bill that are good and many that give me pause. But today’s vote to open a bipartisan debate on this fraught issue is how we civilly deliberate complicated issues affecting Americans, work to improve flawed legislation on the Senate floor and find common ground in our policymaking to demonstrate the responsible governance that the people of Georgia expect from their elected lawmakers. I’m deeply disappointed that some of my Republican colleagues have instead chosen to block debate and prioritize playing politics for the next election.”
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