U.S. Senate weighs blocking Trump's border emergency gambit

By Susan Cornwell

 

A general view shows a new section of actual border fencing near San Diego, California, as seen from Tijuana, Mexico February 27, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Duenes

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional efforts to end President Donald Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border emergency declaration - an attempt by him to fund a border wall without approval from Congress - intensified on Thursday with the introduction of a bipartisan resolution to block him in the Senate.

 

The measure faces an uphill path to passage, but even a close vote in the chamber, controlled by his fellow Republicans, would be an embarrassment for Trump, who has failed over more than two years in office to persuade Congress to fund his wall.

 

The dispute triggered the nation's longest partial government shutdown in December-January, but that did not secure for Trump the $5.7 billion he has been demanding for his "great, great wall."

 

Trump warned Republicans not to vote for the Senate resolution, saying in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, scheduled to air later on Thursday, that doing so would put them in "great jeopardy" politically with voters.

 

But Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democrat Tom Udall, sponsors of the bipartisan measure, said Congress needs to stand up for its power over making major decisions about spending taxpayer money and prevent Trump from circumventing the U.S. Constitution.

 

"The question before us is not whether to support or oppose the wall. It is not whether to support or oppose President Trump," Collins declared on the Senate floor.

 

"Rather, it is this: Do we want the executive branch, now or in the future, to hold the power that the founders deliberately entrusted to Congress?"

 

The resolution, identical to one already approved in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, is also sponsored by two other senators: Republican Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. At its present level of support among senators, the measure would need the backing of at least one other Republican to win final Senate approval.

 

Even with that, however, it might ultimately be only a symbolic gesture of defiance because Trump has vowed to veto the resolution if it arrives on his desk, an action that would likely throw the fight over his emergency into the courts.

 

Trump declared a national emergency on Feb. 15 after Congress declined to give him the $5.7 billion this year for his wall. The president said emergency powers would empower him to divert money from other accounts already approved by Congress, including military construction projects, to his wall.

 

Another Senate Republican, Lamar Alexander, argued Thursday that the president might avoid the clash with Congress if he would take the wall money from Pentagon accounts supporting counter-drug activities, instead of military construction.

 

Democrats argue that there is no actual border emergency and even if there were, Trump would still be overreaching.

 

"The emergency law that President Trump invoked allows the military to redirect funds only if an emergency 'requires use of the armed forces,'" House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said at a hearing on Trump's emergency. "This law is supposed to be used for actions such as building airfields or barracks to help our troops fight wars overseas," he said.

 

The battle in Congress is the latest chapter in a long-running war between Trump and Democrats over border security and immigration policy. A coalition of 16 U.S. states led by California has sued Trump and top members of his administration to block his emergency declaration.

 

Moody's Investors Service said on Thursday that Trump's emergency declaration to build a border wall with Mexico means the U.S. territory of Guam could lose $750 million in military construction funds. This would be a "credit negative" because the U.S. military presence is one of the island's dominant economic forces, the credit rating agency said in a statement.

 

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh)

 

 -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-01

"...The question before us is not whether to support or oppose the wall. It is not whether to support or oppose President Trump," Collins declared on the Senate floor. 

"Rather, it is this: Do we want the executive branch, now or in the future, to hold the power that the founders deliberately entrusted to Congress?"

 

Collins is correct; this is a naked power-grab of the US Congress' 'Power of the Purse'. There is no emergency here, this is simply a matter of political expediency on behalf of Trump because he couldn't get his fellow Republicans to pass the funding, even though they had control of both houses for 2 years.

 

This "Emergency Declaration" is a huge pile of crap. Period.

 

The real question here is whether the Republican party has maintained any of the principles that it has espoused for generations; limited government, restrictions on the power of the Presidency, good budgeting and a return to normal order in the legislative process, etc.

 

Or, has the Republican party sunk to the depths of deprivation that is known as Trump? A disregard for proper procedures, an outright flouting of all norms and precedents, a system of outright lies masquerading as truth, a dismantling of civilized political discourse and many, many more really ugly things.

 

It is decision time, Republicans. I sincerely hope that you rise to the occasion and see that you are better then you have shown for the last two years.

 

As for Trump, I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

Time for Republican Senators to stand up for the Constitution and send Trump back to school.

Otherwise, I have no doubt the US Supreme Court will do so.

"...The question before us is not whether to support or oppose the wall. It is not whether to support or oppose President Trump," Collins declared on the Senate floor. 

"Rather, it is this: Do we want the executive branch, now or in the future, to hold the power that the founders deliberately entrusted to Congress?"

 
Collins is correct; this is a naked power-grab of the US Congress' 'Power of the Purse'. There is no emergency here, this is simply a matter of political expediency on behalf of Trump because he couldn't get his fellow Republicans to pass the funding, even though they had control of both houses for 2 years.
 
This "Emergency Declaration" is a huge pile of crap. Period.
 
The real question here is whether the Republican party has maintained any of the principles that it has espoused for generations; limited government, restrictions on the power of the Presidency, good budgeting and a return to normal order in the legislative process, etc.
 
Or, has the Republican party sunk to the depths of deprivation that is known as Trump? A disregard for proper procedures, an outright flouting of all norms and precedents, a system of outright lies masquerading as truth, a dismantling of civilized political discourse and many, many more really ugly things.
 
It is decision time, Republicans. I sincerely hope that you rise to the occasion and see that you are better then you have shown for the last two years.
 
As for Trump, I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;
 
Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.
 
God help us all.
 

I would 'like' most of your posts if you wouldn't end them with 'god help us all'.
God doesn't have anything to do with politics!

Sent from my SM-J250F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

11 minutes ago, longtom said:

I would 'like' most of your posts if you wouldn't end them with 'god help us all'.
God doesn't have anything to do with politics!

Sent from my SM-J250F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

@longtom: like away! 

 

I think you are presuming my "God" is the Christian god; nothing could be further from the truth, especially when I discuss politics. My 'God' is the 'Trickster'...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trickster

 

Respectfully, the 'Trickster' is quite appropriate for political discussions.

 

What else could possibly explain Trump being elected?

 

 

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Time for Republican Senators to stand up for the Constitution and send Trump back to school.

Otherwise, I have no doubt the US Supreme Court will do so.

If the senate does not stop him I doubt the Supreme Court will, which to put it quite bluntly is nothing more than a politically loaded dice.