Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Newsmax on Wednesday that he will not vote for the Senate's bipartisan border bill and said the legislation "doesn't have the votes" to proceed.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., this week unveiled the bipartisan border bill for which he led negotiations on the GOP side, but it was met with widespread resistance from other Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who objected to the bill's funding for Ukraine and for not going far enough to prevent illegal crossings at the border.
Marshall, appearing on "National Report," said the bipartisan Senate border bill "doesn't have the votes to get to the next steps, so I think it's done."
The senator said later, "I'm voting 'no' on this bill. This is a Ukraine funding bill."
Marshall said legislators should back H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023 that was introduced by Florida GOP Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla..
Marshall also said he agreed with Trump 2024 campaign press secretary Caroline Leavitt, who recently rebuked President Joe Biden for blaming Trump's policies for the border crisis.
"'Brazen, pathetic lie,' I think is spot on," Marshall said. "I hadn't heard that quote yet but, boy, I don't know about you, but it fired me up and Americans are going to go vote … every time Joe Biden talks like that."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.