The Democrat-controlled U.S. House has just voted to revoke President Donald Trump’s February 15th National Emergency Declaration regarding the border with Mexico.
The vote was 245-182, with thirteen Republicans joining a unanimous block of Democrats to pass the resolution. The measure now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate. If it passes the Senate, it would then head to the White House.
Unsurprisingly, Trump is expected to veto the resolution if it makes it that far. Prior to the vote, the White House issued a statement stating that “The Administration strongly opposes H.J. Res. 46” and that if it “were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he veto it.”
Ahead of tonight's House vote to terminate the president's national emergency declaration, the administration officially issues a veto threat. The privilege resolution is expected to pass the House tonight & it's becoming clearer that it could pass the Senate next month. pic.twitter.com/c9Crfqmmeh
— Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) February 26, 2019
The Republicans who voted for the resolution include Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Will Hurd (R-TX), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Francis Rooney (R-FL), James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Fred Upton (R-MI), and Greg Walden (R-OR).
Stefanik posted a three-tweet thread noting that she was a “Constitutional conservative” who had “consistently criticized President Obama’s executive overreach,” and vowed that “No matter the party, I will stand up against executive action that circumvents Congress.”
I believe the President declaring a national emergency that will take funding from military construction projects is the wrong decision. I voted in support of today’s resolution disapproving of the national emergency with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. (1/3)
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) February 26, 2019
As a Constitutional conservative, I consistently criticized President Obama's executive overreach. No matter the party, I will stand up against executive action that circumvents Congress. (2/3)
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) February 26, 2019
I will continue to negotiate in good faith to fully fund securing the border, and I urge my Democrat colleagues to commit to doing the same. Read my full statement (3/3)
https://t.co/lUex26soQ8
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) February 26, 2019
Massie similarly noted his past criticism of Obama’s executive actions, and tweeted that while he supported building the wall, “but it’s not an emergency when Congress doesn’t spend money how the President wants.”
I support President Trump and I support the wall. In fact I voted to fund the wall for the full amount requested by @realDonaldTrump. I also called out President Obama when he tried to use his pen and phone to sidestep Congress on immigration, war, healthcare, and gun control.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
In order to be consistent in preserving the constitutional structure of our Republic, I will be voting for the resolution to prevent the President from using a national emergency declaration to re-appropriate money for the wall.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
The appropriations process belongs within Congress according to the Constitution. To the extent that Congress has in the past relinquished some of that authority broadly, it has done so recklessly.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
There is a crisis at our border, but it’s not an emergency when Congress doesn’t spend money how the President wants. The President’s constitutional remedy is to veto spending bills that aren’t suitable to him, yet he has chosen to sign many bills that did not fund the wall.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
Amash, as Chairman of the House Liberty Caucus, has been a vocal critic of Trump’s national emergency declaration, and his vote today was no surprise. In an interview with ABC News, Amash said “there are a lot of fair arguments” for increasing funding for the border wall, but it “has to go through Congress.”
“Congress cannot grant the president by statute the authority to assume legislative powers at will, turning the executive branch into a legislative branch whenever the president uses magic words.” https://t.co/6to4FdVnjK
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) February 26, 2019
GOP Rep. Justin Amash, who supports terminating Trump's emergency declaration, tells @devindwyer that "there are a lot of fair arguments" for more wall funding, but it "has to go through Congress."
"The president doesn't get to just declare an emergency" https://t.co/enzCcdDy0l pic.twitter.com/ub00u12MPt
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 26, 2019
Hurd, whose Texas district encompasses hundreds of miles of the very border at issue, also voted for the resolution, noting his objections to the funding being taken from military projects in Texas and his problems with the executive overreach.
We have a problem at our border which is why I have supported over $220B for homeland security including technology, manpower and barriers. But possibly taking money from Joint Base SA, Laughlin AFB and Fort Bliss will not help. That’s why I voted against the national emergency.
— Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) February 26, 2019
Tomorrow, I will join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation that requires Congressional approval for an emergency to last longer than 60 days. If Speaker Pelosi is serious about reasserting Congress’s constitutional powers, she will bring it to the floor for a vote.
— Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) February 26, 2019
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