Sen. Sinema: ‘Failure Is Not an Option’ in Border Talks

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., says that "failure is not an option" in border security negotiations.

“My opinion is that we must work until we find the solution because failure is not an option here,” Sinema said in an interview with NBC News after being asked if the Senate should remain in Washington until a package is approved.

The House left for the holidays on Wednesday, without reaching an agreement on the funding. The Senate, however, was supposed to break on Thursday, but has continued negotiations over potential border security provisions.

Sinema, along with Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and James Lankford, R-Okla., have been in charge of negotiations. Sinema told NBC News that the provisions are important for “ensuring that we’re fighting Putin and protecting and supporting our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel.”

Although she spoke on the Senate's determination to reach a deal, she did not speak to possibilities of an emergency measure to address security at the U.S.-Mexico border and aid for Ukraine in Israel before heading back to their districts until the new year.

“I’m not interested in debating the timelines,” Sinema told NBC. “What I am interested in doing is moving the process forward. And what I’ve demonstrated in my five years in the United States Senate is that I have a proven track record of bringing disparate interests and groups together, finding common ground and moving forward with bipartisan solutions. So the timeline is not a question for me.”

The senator also declined to comment on the discussions between lawmakers because she wants them to reach an agreement when asked by NBC.

"What I will say is that all the options that are on the table and under discussion right now are realistic and pragmatic options and folks have a lot of emotions about them," she said. "But the reality is, is that these are realistic and pragmatic options that actually solve the crisis and allow us to move forward.”