PROGRAMMING NOTE: We’ll be off next week for the holidays but back to our normal schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 2. ‘I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON’ Ever since negotiations began on a deal that would tie border policy changes to Ukraine aid, it’s become abundantly clear that beyond leadership and the three members in the room, most other senators are in the dark. And while some don’t mind being out of the loop, others are getting openly furious about it. Hispanic Democratic senators have aired frustrations over the closed-door meetings and their lack of input on the shape of a potential agreement. Over the weekend, a group of conservative senators bashed the “secret” talks and called for a more “transparent” process. Several other Democrats are still fretting about more conservative border policies being on the table at all. Heading into overtime on the discussions, with one week before Christmas, there’s no sign that the trio of negotiators – Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) – is ready to show their cards. “I'd like to know what's going on,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who cosigned a letter last month expressing concerns over the border talks. “And so would everybody else.” The trio of senators who have met over the last few days on a border pact that could unlock President Joe Biden’s stalled national security funding request are staying silent for a reason – they’re loath to invite premature criticism from both ideological ends of the two parties that could destroy any progress they’ve made. A Democratic aide told Huddle that Murphy specifically believes any border deal will need Democratic votes to get it over the finish line. “Both Republican and Democratic members deserve to see text and be able to consider it before they vote,” Murphy told reporters Sunday. “I think that sentiment is shared on both sides.” Dishing out details too early could also spark false hope or misguided fears as stakeholders in and outside of the Capitol wait for news about what may get agreed to. So some Senate Democrats said on Monday that they understand the secretive approach. “There's a recognition that when you have sensitive negotiations, you don't want there to be misinformation floating around,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). “I know our negotiators recognize that nobody's going to sign off on anything in advance.” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) — no. 3 in Senate Democratic leadership — emphasized that there will be a time where negotiators have to spill the tea. But that moment isn’t now, she said. “It’s complicated. It always is in something like that,” Stabenow said. And on the other side of the aisle, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) took issue with "the whole idea of it being secret negotiations." "Clearly you’ve got to have somebody negotiating it, and James is doing a great job," he said of Lankford. Another important faction on the sidelines: Congressional Hispanic Caucus members over in the House have also slammed the negotiations, calling their briefings from White House staff a mere courtesy because they’re not at the negotiating table. A person familiar with the CHC told Huddle that its White House briefing over the weekend did not include any promise to include or consult with caucus members on any of the policies being considered. — Ursula Perano and Daniella Diaz, with an assist from Burgess Everett
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