House of Representatives Votes to Terminate President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration

(Washington, D.C.) – This evening, the House of Representatives voted on a resolution that would terminate President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the southern border. The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and cosponsored by Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) passed by a vote of 245 to 182.

“As I have said before, the President’s national emergency declaration is a blatant abuse of executive power and ignores congressional authority. The Constitution is clear that Congress has the power of the purse – not the President,” stated Rep. Sires. “Rather than work across the aisle to further proven border security methods, the President is obsessed with building an archaic wall and he doesn’t care if he violates the Constitution to do it. Regardless of party, this breach of power should be extremely troubling, and I am pleased that my colleagues in the House of Representatives have voted to prevent a further slide from the separate and co-equal branches of government that our founders envisioned.”

President Trump declared a national emergency after a bipartisan, bicameral deal to prevent another government shutdown did not contain his demanded $5 billion for a border wall. The President will transfer funds from the military and key drug interdiction programs to work on an ineffective project that he could not secure funding for when his own party controlled both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The resolution terminating the national emergency declaration is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.

###