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Senate Passes Udall Resolution to Block Trump National Emergency Declaration For Wall

KRWG News

Commentary: Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after the Senate voted in bipartisan fashion, by a margin of 54-41, to pass Udall’s resolution to terminate the president’s national emergency declaration for the southern border, which the Trump administration is using to raid billions in military construction funding and divert it to the border wall, including $125 million from military projects in New Mexico.

“Once again, the Senate sent a clear message to the president: We object to this phony national emergency declaration, and to a president diverting billions in military construction funding for a political purpose. It is unlawful and unconstitutional.

“I urge the president to support and defend the Constitution as the Senate has today, by upholding the oath of office and preserving the separation of powers. It is past time that President Trump ends his unconstitutional attempt to go around Congress and the American people to raid taxpayer money for his ineffective and wasteful border wall.

“We must demonstrate to the American people, who elected us to represent their interests and protect their taxpayer dollars, that we will not bend to a president who will stop at nothing to pay for his wall, even when paying for the wall means hurting our service members and their families along the way.

“New Mexico is ground zero for the president’s border wall, which will wreak havoc on our communities, way of life, local economies, land owners, and environment. We are also right in the bull’s eye for his national emergency declaration – because Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range have critical projects that are now in jeopardy because of the president’s raid. I am proud that the Senate again voted to stop this politically-motivated power grab, and to uphold the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution.”

On February 15, the president declared a national emergency at the southern border, in an ongoing attempt to divert funding already appropriated for military construction and other projects toward a border wall – despite the fact that Congress alone holds the “power of the purse,” to appropriate taxpayer funds.

Udall introduced the Senate resolution to terminate the president’s national emergency declaration, along with U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).