Block Emergency Declaration Veto Override
Block Emergency Declaration Veto Override
The House will vote to override the president's veto ofH J Res 46, Terminate President's Emergency Border Declaration . The measure terminates the national emergency declared by President Trump on Feb. 15 regarding border security, which if enacted would prevent the president from using a proposed $3.6 billion in previously appropriated military construction funding to build new barriers on the border with Mexico. The president, unhappy that Congress in the final FY 2019 spending law didn't provide the full $5.7 billion he wanted for border wall construction, declared the border emergency under the 1976 National Emergencies Act in order to redirect the military construction funding; he also plans to redirect another $3.1 billion in other federal funding, which would not be affected by terminating the emergency declaration. The president vetoed the measure March 18; a two-thirds vote of both chambers is needed to override a veto.
When the House and Senate return from recess, they are set to vote on a veto override.
A dozen Senate Republicans broke with the President in a 59-41 vote to oppose the emergency declaration, which he plans to use to access Treasury Department and Pentagon funds for a U.S.-Mexico border wall project. The House passed the measure by a vote of 245-182 in February.
Against the National Emergency Declaration:
Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE): “If we get used to presidents just declaring an emergency any time they can’t get what they want from Congress, it will be almost impossible to go back to a Constitutional system of checks and balances. Over the past decades, the legislative branch has given away too much power and the executive branch has taken too much power.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT): “Whether or not it should be legal is a different matter. Congress has been ceding far too much power to the exec. branch for decades. We should use this moment as an opportunity to start taking that power back.”
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): “I don’t believe that the National Emergencies Act contemplated a president repurposing billions of dollars outside the normal appropriations process. I also believe it will be challenged in court and is of dubious constitutionality. It undermines the role of Congress.”
(Please Note: the above comments are in reference to the National Emergency Declaration, not in reference to securing the southern border or a barrier.)
In Favor of the National Emergency Declaration:
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R): "Arizona has watched for decades as Washington has failed to prioritize border security. It’s unfortunate it has come to this rather than Congress doing its job. But action is needed. I support President Trump’s plan to secure our border."
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): "I think the president has the authority to deploy troops to the border. Obama did. Bush did. Trump has,” he said. “And I think he has the authority while they're there to build barriers, and we'll see. I support his desire to get it done sooner rather than later. Congress is locked down and will not give him what we've given past presidents. So unfortunately, he's got to do it on his own, and I support his decision to go that route."
Martha McSally (R-AZ): "Earlier this week I supported the spending measure that supplied $22.5 billion for border security. That was a good start, but more resources are needed to support our border patrol, which includes physical barriers and technology. I support the President's goal, which is to further fund border security. I will continue to study the emergency declaration and additional funding proposal to ensure it increases border security while not adversely impacting our military."
President Trump: "So I’m going to be signing a national emergency, and it’s been signed many times before. It’s been signed by other presidents, from 1977 or so, it gave the presidents the power. There has rarely been a problem. They sign it. Nobody cares...It’s not like it is complicated. It’s very simple. We want to stop drugs from coming into our country. We want to stop criminals and gangs from coming into our country. Nobody has done the job that we have ever done. I mean nobody has done the job that we’ve done on the border."
