Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other top Senate Democrats said they intend to force another floor vote to reverse President Donald Trump’s border-related national emergency declaration and stop the diversion of more DOD funding to pay for a border wall.
“Last time Pres. Trump raided money from military construction for his border wall: Kentucky schools, North Carolina medical facilities, Florida hurricane recovery projects all suffered,” Schumer tweeted Wednesday. “Now he’s trying to do it again. We’ll fight this slap in the face to our armed forces.”
The administration is considering diverting another $7.2 billion – half of it from military construction projects – to build a southern border wall, using the emergency declaration as justification. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he backs the idea of diverting more money “if that’s what it takes” to secure the border, Military.com reported.
Previous votes to overturn the declaration have failed to get a veto-proof majority. Congress can vote on national emergency declarations every six months, which means the next Senate vote could happen after Feb. 15, according to CQ.
Customs and Border Protection photo by Glenn Fawcett