Sen. Reid Open to Separating Wildfire and Israel From Border Bill

Wall Street Journal

By Kristina Peterson and Michael R. Crittenden

July 28, 2014

Sen. Reid Open to Separating Wildfire and Israel From Border Bill 

WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) on Monday opened the door to separating funding for fighting wildfires and Israel's missile defense system from contentious legislation aimed at easing the border crisis.

Separating the bill's components could enable the Senate to approve the less-controversial funding to help fight West Coast wildfires and fulfill a request from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to help support Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.

The Senate is still expected to vote later this week on legislation from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D., Md.) that includes funding for all three components. But with disputes over the border bill expected to derail the legislation from advancing past procedural votes, Mr. Reid indicated Monday that he would consider bringing up the $615 million in wildfire funding coupled with $225 million for Israel's Iron Dome.

"We should approve funding for these three very important measures, and we should do it immediately," Mr. Reid said Monday. "Separately, together, we've got to get this done."

Both the wildfire and Iron Dome funding are expected to have enough support to pass, a senior Senate Democratic aide said.

Mr. Reid said the money to help Israel is necessary because of the extent of fighting in recent weeks, noting that each missile shot from the Iron Dome missile defense system comes with a price tag of $62,000. Israeli officials shouldn't be "picking and choosing which part of the country to defend," he said.

Mr. Reid also suggested additional funds may be needed if a cease fire isn't agreed upon.

"Israel needs these funds to replace the weaponry used to destroy Hamas's incoming rockets, but there is no guarantee Israel won't need our help again," he said.

Senior Republicans have also backed sending Israel funds to bolster its defense.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) last week said lawmakers need to approve the funding quickly to "send a message to Hamas that its terrorist tactics and its attempts to terrorize Israel's populace will not succeed."

The partisan controversy over the border bill centers on a 2008 anti-trafficking law that the administration has said would help it speed up the process of returning some of the children to their home countries. Democrats have worried that amending the law risks sending home minors who have legitimate legal grounds to stay in the U.S. and could return them to dangerous situations. They didn't include any changes to the 2008 law in the Senate's border bill.

Republicans have said they wouldn't approve more funding without an amendment to the law.

Earlier this month, Mr. Obama asked Congress for $3.7 billion over 15 months to respond to the influx of border crossers. GOP legislation hasn't yet been released in the House, but is expected to fund far less than the Senate bill and will include changes to the 2008 law.

Since the fiscal year began in October, U.S. officials have apprehended more than 57,000 children traveling alone across the southern border.

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