Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerGraham dismisses criticism from Fox Business's Lou Dobbs Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' Democratic Senate emerges as possible hurdle for progressives MORE (D-N.Y.) said on Thursday that Democrats will introduce a resolution to block President Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump admin to announce coronavirus vaccine will be covered under Medicare, Medicaid: report Election officials say they're getting suspicious emails that may be part of malicious attack on voting: report McConnell tees up Trump judicial pick following Supreme Court vote MORE's emergency declaration to construct the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Chuck SchumerGraham dismisses criticism from Fox Business's Lou Dobbs Lewandowski: Trump 'wants to see every Republican reelected regardless of ... if they break with the president' Democratic Senate emerges as possible hurdle for progressives MORE (D-N.Y.) said on Thursday that Democrats will introduce a resolution to block President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump admin to announce coronavirus vaccine will be covered under Medicare, Medicaid: report Election officials say they're getting suspicious emails that may be part of malicious attack on voting: report McConnell tees up Trump judicial pick following Supreme Court vote MORE's emergency declaration to construct the U.S.-Mexico border wall. "Identical companion legislation to the House resolution will soon be introduced in the Senate," Schumer said in a statement.
Nancy PelosiOn The Money: Businesses, wealthy brace for Biden tax hikes | Dow falls more than 650 points as COVID-19 cases rise, stimulus hopes fade | Kudlow doesn't expect Trump to release detailed economic plan before election Overnight Health Care: US sets a new record for average daily coronavirus cases | Meadows on pandemic response: 'We're not going to control it' | Pelosi blasts Trump for not agreeing to testing strategy Gaffes put spotlight on Meadows at tough time for Trump MORE (D-Calif.), are expected to file their resolution as soon as Friday. ADVERTISEMENT
The Senate, which convened for roughly a minute earlier Thursday, is out of town until Monday afternoon, making that day the earliest Democrats could file a resolution in the upper chamber. “If the president’s emergency declaration prevails, it will fundamentally change the balance of powers in a way our country’s founders never envisioned. That should be a serious wake up call to senators in both parties who believe in the constitutional responsibility of Congress to limit an overreaching executive," Schumer said.
Trump announced last Friday that he would declare a national emergency to construct the wall after Congress included only $1.375 billion for physical barriers along the border in a government funding bill — well below the $5.7 billion the president requested.
A resolution blocking Trump's move only needs a simple majority in both chambers to get to the president's desk, where White House officials have suggested he would use his first veto since taking over the Oval Office.
Democrats, and some Republicans, argue that Trump is violating the separation of powers by using an emergency declaration to leapfrog Congress after not getting the votes to get the amount of wall funding that he wants.
"This issue transcends partisan politics, and I urge all senators — Democrats and Republicans — to support this resolution to terminate the president’s emergency declaration when it comes up for a vote in the Senate," he added.
Democrats have also seized on Trump's comments from Friday, when he said he didn't "need" to declare an emergency at the border but did so because he wanted to build the wall faster.
If all 47 Democrats vote for the resolution to block Trump's emergency declaration, they will still need to flip four Republican senators.
Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsHouse Judiciary Republicans mockingly tweet 'Happy Birthday' to Hillary Clinton after Barrett confirmation Barrett sworn in as Supreme Court justice by Thomas Roberts to administer judicial oath to Barrett Tuesday MORE (R-Maine) became the first Republican senator to say she would support a "clean" resolution of disapproval.
Susan Margaret CollinsHouse Judiciary Republicans mockingly tweet 'Happy Birthday' to Hillary Clinton after Barrett confirmation Barrett sworn in as Supreme Court justice by Thomas Roberts to administer judicial oath to Barrett Tuesday MORE (R-Maine) became the first Republican senator to say she would support a "clean" resolution of disapproval. "I don't know what the vote situation will be in the Senate, nor do I know exactly what that resolution will say, but it is a privileged matter. That means that it will come before the Senate for a vote, and if it's a clean disapproval resolution, I will support it," she told reporters in Maine on Wednesday.
Several other Republican senators have raised concerns about Trump's actions but stopped short of saying how they will vote.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiHarris blasts GOP for confirming Amy Coney Barrett: 'We won't forget this' GOP Senate confirms Trump Supreme Court pick to succeed Ginsburg Murkowski predicts Barrett won't overturn Roe v. Wade MORE (R-Alaska) said late last week that she didn’t “think that this is a matter that should be declared a national emergency.”And Sen. Lamar Alexander
Andrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderSenate Health Committee chair asks Cuomo, Newsom to 'stop second guessing' FDA on vaccine efficacy The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Goldman Sachs - Two weeks out, Trump attempts to rally the base McConnell aims for unity amid growing divisions with Trump MORE (R-Tenn.) said in a statement after Trump's announcement that the decision was "unwise" because of the precedent it set for future presidents."It is inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution because after the American Revolution against a king, our founders chose not to create a chief executive with the power to tax the people and spend their money any way he chooses," he said. "The Constitution gives that authority exclusively to a Congress elected by the people.”
