Shaheen joins other Democrats in call for Senate to pass border bill

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The fight over the U.S. southern border is again taking center stage in Washington, with New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen among those speaking up on the issue.

Senators are arguing over a pair of dueling bills aimed at addressing the border. Earlier this year, a border reform bill was brought up by Senate Democrats, but it was blocked. Democrats are now taking another crack at pushing it through.

The bill was negotiated by a group of Republicans and Democrats and is one of the widest-reaching border bills in recent history. It's aimed at reducing illegal crossings, raising the qualifications for asylum and addressing the flow of illegal drugs into the country.

Senate Republicans were quick to strike the bill down, especially after it was criticized by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, a group of Republican senators criticized the bill, calling it a band-aid solution and blaming Democrats' policies for the border crisis. They're pushing for their own border bill.

Senate Democrats were back on the floor Wednesday calling on Republicans to come across the aisle and support the earlier bill when it's brought up for a vote Thursday. Shaheen outlined how the southern border has a direct impact on New Hampshire, even though it's thousands of miles away.

"I agree with my colleagues," Shaheen said. "We have a crisis at our southern border, and in New Hampshire, it's affecting us, because there are too many deadly drugs flowing into our country and not enough technology, equipment and personnel to stop it."

There were more than 400 drug overdose deaths last year in New Hampshire, and more than 80% involved fentanyl.