Ocasio-Cortez: ‘Hell no’ should House Democrats approve Senate-passed border bill

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said House Democrats’ response to voting for a border bill approved by the Senate without amendments should be “hell no.”

“Under no circumstances should the House vote for a McConnell-only bill w/ no negotiation with Democrats. Hell no,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “That’s an abdication of power we should refuse to accept. They will keep hurting kids if we do.”

The bill, which passed 84-8 in the Senate, included no conferencing with House Democrats and no accepted amendments, “including CRUCIAL amendments that would prevent more suffering,” the freshman Democrat said. {mosads}

“There is enormous frustration here with the capitulation of the Senate minority. But that aside, we have a majority in the House and need to use it,” she said. 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and liberal congress members demanded additional protections for migrant children and planned to vote on an amped-up version of their $4.6 billion border bill. 

But party leaders caved to pressures from moderate lawmakers to take up the Senate bill immediately and planned a vote Thursday. 

“A minority is different than a majority. And while the Senate has to deal with its lack of power there, a House majority should have a seat @ the table,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

0 negotiation with the House. We offered crucial amendments to protect children and families – none are even being considered.

A minority is different than a majority. And while the Senate has to deal with its lack of power there, a House majority should have a seat @ the table.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 27, 2019

The New York Democrat is one of the most outspoken members of her party against the conditions at border facilities holding migrant children, comparing them to concentration camps. 

The House Democrat bill would have included new safety and care standards for law enforcers working with migrants. 

Ocasio-Cortez urged a delay in the vote. 

“We have time. We can stay in town. We can at LEAST add some amendments to this Senate bill,” she tweeted. “But to pass it completely unamended with no House input? That seems a bridge too far.”