Any deal involving border security funding and aid to Ukraine and Israel will have to be sweetened to have any chance of passing the House, Rep. Tony Gonzales told CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday.
The Texas Republican, whose district includes more than 800 miles of the border with Mexico, emphasized that it's going to be a "battle" passing any such agreement in the House.
Negotiations among a bipartisan group of senators have been ongoing for a landmark agreement to limit asylum and expand detention and deportation efforts, which would be paired with aid for Ukraine and Israel.
Gonzales said those negotiations are "a good start" but "the devil's in the details," and he stressed that "the Senate is much different than the House. The Senate is going to have its battle getting to 60 votes. The House is going to have its battle getting to 218. We can do that, but we have to sweeten the deal."
Gonzales specified that what would help get a bill passed would include designating cartels as terrorist organizations and holding smugglers accountable, but reiterated that "the deal between the Senate and the White House is going to be much different than the House and the overall package."
Gonzales said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has not given a timeline for getting a bill through the House if the Senate reaches an agreement, but stated that "we can't just wait. We have to find 218 votes, however we can, and push things over the finish line."
The House is currently on its holiday break, while senators have remained in Washington to determine if they are able to come to an agreement by the end of the year.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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