Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiBiden to hold second meeting with bipartisan lawmakers on infrastructure Appointing a credible, non-partisan Jan. 6 commission should not be difficult Senators in the dark on parliamentarian's decision MORE (D-Calif.) announced Thursday that the House will file a lawsuit to block President Trump
Donald TrumpGraham: 'I could not disagree more' with Trump support of Afghanistan troop withdrawal GOP believes Democrats handing them winning 2022 campaign Former GOP operative installed as NSA top lawyer resigns MORE's national emergency declaration to build a wall along the southern border.
Nancy PelosiBiden to hold second meeting with bipartisan lawmakers on infrastructure Appointing a credible, non-partisan Jan. 6 commission should not be difficult Senators in the dark on parliamentarian's decision MORE (D-Calif.) announced Thursday that the House will file a lawsuit to block President TrumpDonald TrumpGraham: 'I could not disagree more' with Trump support of Afghanistan troop withdrawal GOP believes Democrats handing them winning 2022 campaign Former GOP operative installed as NSA top lawyer resigns MORE's national emergency declaration to build a wall along the southern border.The move marks the latest effort by House Democrats to push back against Trump's use of federal money to construct a wall after lawmakers denied him those funds.
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"The President's action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority," Pelosi said in a statement. "Congress, as Article I – the first branch, co-equal to the other branches – must reassert its exclusive responsibilities reserved by the text of the Constitution and protect our system of checks and balances."
Congress passed a resolution to terminate Trump's emergency declaration, but the House last week failed to meet the necessary two-thirds threshold to override the president's veto, the first of his presidency. Fourteen Republicans, mostly centrists, voted with Democrats in the veto override attempt.
Democrats are now turning to the judicial system.
"The House will once again defend our Democracy and our Constitution, this time in the courts," Pelosi said. "No one is above the law or the Constitution, not even the President."
The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group — an entity compromised of congressional leadership that oversees the House general counsel's office — voted Thursday to authorize the lawsuit on behalf of House Democrats.
Multiple lawsuits have already been filed to stop Trump's emergency declaration, including one led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra
Xavier BecerraTrump looms over Senate's anti-Asian hate crimes battle NIH reverses Trump administration's ban on fetal tissue research Overnight Health Care: Johnson & Johnson delay prompts criticism of CDC panel | Pfizer CEO says third dose of COVID-19 vaccine 'likely' needed within one year | CDC finds less than 1 percent of fully vaccinated people got COVID-19 MORE (D) on behalf of 16 states.
Xavier BecerraTrump looms over Senate's anti-Asian hate crimes battle NIH reverses Trump administration's ban on fetal tissue research Overnight Health Care: Johnson & Johnson delay prompts criticism of CDC panel | Pfizer CEO says third dose of COVID-19 vaccine 'likely' needed within one year | CDC finds less than 1 percent of fully vaccinated people got COVID-19 MORE (D) on behalf of 16 states. Pelosi and Rep. Joaquin Castro
Joaquin CastroDemocrats ask Biden to reverse employee policy on past marijuana use The Hill's Morning Report - Biden's next act: Massive infrastructure plan with tax hikes Blinken to appear before Foreign Affairs Committee MORE (D-Texas), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairman, said last week that they may force additional votes to block the emergency declaration, as is allowed every six months under the National Emergencies Act.
Joaquin CastroDemocrats ask Biden to reverse employee policy on past marijuana use The Hill's Morning Report - Biden's next act: Massive infrastructure plan with tax hikes Blinken to appear before Foreign Affairs Committee MORE (D-Texas), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairman, said last week that they may force additional votes to block the emergency declaration, as is allowed every six months under the National Emergencies Act."In six months, the Congress will have another opportunity to put a stop to this President’s wrongdoing. We will continue to review all options to protect our Constitution and our Democracy from the President’s assault," Pelosi and Castro said in a joint statement after the House failed to override Trump's veto.
