Romney Says He Will Vote To Block Trump’s National Emergency Declaration
Mar 14, 2019, 9:02 AM
With the support of at least four Republicans, the Senate seems poised to approve a resolution of disapproval on President Donald Trump's use of a national emergency declaration to secure the money he wants to build a border wall on the southern border. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sen. Mitt Romney on Thursday joined a handful of Republican senators who said they would vote to terminate President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration.
The Utah senator said the vote for H.J.Res.46 is a vote for the balance of powers and the Constitution.
“For the Executive Branch to override a law passed by Congress would make it the ultimate power rather than a balancing power,” he said.
My statement on today’s emergency declaration vote→ pic.twitter.com/QbP7VCL81S
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) March 14, 2019
However, Romney also noted that he supports security — including a wall — on the Southern border.
“This is not a vote against border security,” he said. “In fact, I agree that a physical barrier is urgently needed to help ease the humanitarian crisis at the southern border, and the administration already has $4.5 billion available within existing authority to fund a barrier – even without an emergency declaration.”
Romney said he was concerned that overreach by the Executive Branch will lead to abuse of the power by future presidents.
“We experienced a similar erosion of congressional authority with President Obama’s unilateral immigration orders – which I strenuously opposed,” he said. “In the case before us now, where Congress has enacted specific policy, to consent to an emergency declaration would be both inconsistent with my beliefs and contrary to my oath to defend the Constitution.”
