Eleven GOP senators voted to cancel President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national border emergency and his subsequent transfer of agency funding to build the border wall.
This 54 to 41 vote was not about the border wall, but whether “the Congress of the United States of America should yield its constitutionally prescribed power of the purse to the President,” said Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins.
“The answer to that question, regardless of who is in the White House … should be no,” Collins continued. “Congress alone is empowered by the constitution to adopt laws directing money from the U.S. Treasury.”
The president “stole” the money, and “I will not stand for that,” said Vermont Democrat Sen. Patrick Leahy. The president took the funding from other projects, such as the replacement of older schools at military bases, said Leahy, who is the top Democrat on the appropriations panel.
Senators should vote against the resolution because “there is no Earthly reason why Democrats would force us to have one or the other,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Mississippi law could create statewide registry of undocumented immigrants
Marine missing from USS Anchorage now focus of recovery mission off California coast
Lawsuit filed after tree dubbed ‘Widow Maker’ fatally crushes man at Texas BBQ restaurant
Jacob Frey praises Somali community as Minnesota faces renewed scrutiny over fraud investigations
Trump calls likely DC mayor Janeese Lewis George a ‘communist’ and vows to block her agenda
Trump: Renovations to DC’s East Potomac Golf Links begin in September
Top Democrat lawmaker suffers minor injuries in Delaware car crash
Pollster Stands By Rejected Survey Showing Struggling Democrat in Single Digits That He Released Anyway
Doctor Pushing Puberty Blockers on Teen Boy Was Charged With Possessing Child Porn
Sisters, friend charged in Texas mom’s stabbing death
The Swamp’s Got Another Bright Idea, and It Could End Up Hosing Every American Who Drives
SCOTUS Showdown Over Gun Suppressors Looms After Appeals Court Creates ‘Circuit Split’
Punk Allegedly Pulls Pistol on Workmen, Ends up Tied to Front Porch to Make Police Pickup Quick and Easy
Soft-On-Crime Socialist Set To Run Nation’s Capital Ravaged By Teen Takeovers
What to know about the July Fourth celebrations in DC
“The joint resolution is passed,” Utah Sen. Mitt Romney announced from the Senate’s chair.
The 11 GOP senators who voted against the emergency and the wall included Collins, Romney, retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN), along with Sens. Roy Blunt (MO), Mike Lee (UT), Jerry Moran (KS), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Rand Paul (KY), Rob Portman (OH), Pat Toomey (PA), and Roger Wicker (MS).
Collins spoke during the brief debate and vote, saying she supported additional construction at the border.
Several GOP senators declined to vote.
Trump will likely veto the resolution, and the 54 votes in favor are not enough to overcome the president’s veto.
Trump announced the emergency in February after Democrats blocked the funding for the border wall. Trump’s emergency declaration uses powers that prior Congresses voted to give to the president.
Story cited here.
