WASHINGTON, D.C., March 14, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Sen. Mitt Romney announced Thursday that he’ll be voting to overturn Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration on border wall funding.
The former GOP presidential candidate and newly elected senator from the state of Utah said his decision is not a vote against border security, but rather a vote against overreach by the country’s chief executive.
In a statement posted on social media, Romney took aim at Trump’s emergency declaration, saying its passage would set a dangerous precedent for the future balance of power in the U.S. government.
Romney’s full statement is as follows:
“I will vote today for the resolution of disapproval. This is a vote for the constitution and for the balance of power that is at its core. For the executive branch to override a law passed by Congress would make it the ultimate power rather than a balancing power.
“This is not a vote against border security, 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.
“I am seriously concerned that overreach by the executive branch is an invitation to further expansion and abuse by future presidents. We experienced a similar erosion of congressional authority with President Obama’s unilateral immigration orders — which I strenuously opposed.
“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 with my oath to defend the constitution.”
Five other Republican senators, including Utah’s Mike Lee, have voiced their opposition to Trump’s emergency measure and say they’ll vote for the bill which rescinds it.
Wednesday, Lee and other GOP senators tried in vain to meet with Mr. Trump while seeking a compromise. Lee, and the others, working through VP Mike Pence, offered to vote against the measure rescinding Trump’s executive order in exchange for his support of new legislation proposed by Lee that would require Congress to approve future executive actions after a period of 30 days.
Trump ultimately phoned Lee and told him he could not support the new measure.
Trump is promising to veto any bill that overrides his emergency declaration.
