Ben Cardin calls for bipartisanship on migrant detainment reform: ‘We need to pass a bill’

Sen. Ben Cardin called Thursday for Congress to craft a bipartisan border funding bill that provides additional funding for migrant facilities amid recent reports of few toiletries and “filthy” living conditions at those facilities.

“It’s important that we get it done now,” the Maryland Democrat said on CNN’s “At This Hour.” “The issues are critical. The funding is needed. It’s not the reason why we have our crisis, but we must make sure that the agency has the funds necessary to take care of these families.

The House and Senate have both passed bills that spend roughly the same amount of money but appropriate the funds differently.

Both bills give the majority of funds to the Health Department’s Unaccompanied Alien Children division, but the Senate bill provides funding for the Pentagon and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials that is not present in the House version.

Mr. Cardin called on Senate Republicans to hear House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s proposed changes so the legislative branch can pass a bill before the July 4 recess.

“The bill that passed the Senate is a good bill, the House has some suggestions that could improve the bill,” he said. “I understand that Speaker Pelosi has a few changes she’d like to change in the Senate bill. I hope we consider that and let’s get it done today and pass the bill on. That’s how the process should work — one side should not dominate.

“It will help the immediate crisis of having funds to take care of family needs so they can have soap, they can have toothpaste, so they can have beds so they can have clothing so they can have adequate facilities I think that’s clearly contained in the Senate bill, but this is an opportunity to try to do a little bit better than that,” Mr. Cardin said. “So I would hope the Senate Republican leaders would be willing to listen to Speaker Pelosi and see whether we can get some of her house ideas into the final version.”

The House bill passed 230-195 Wednesday, while the Senate version passed shortly after 84-8.

Ms. Pelosi said she would not accept the Senate bill in its current form, while President Trump has vowed to veto the House bill should it get to his desk.