12 GOP senators rebuke Trump, vote with Dems to block border emergency
A dozen Republican senators on Thursday voted with Democrats to block President Trump's declaration of an emergency at the southern border, a politically embarrassing rebuke to Trump that will set up the first veto of his presidency. Trump declared the emergency to justify moving $3.6 billion from a military construction fund to a project to build physical barriers along the southern border. But that plan is opposed not just by Democrats but by many Republicans who worry Trump is testing or exceeding the boundaries of the National Emergencies Act.
In the House last month, 13 Republicans helped Democrats pass the resolution aimed at rejecting Trump's declaration. Thursday's 59-41 vote in the Senate will send it to Trump's desk, and Trump has said he would veto it.
The 12 Republicans who voted against Trump included Roy Blunt, a member of the Senate leadership team. "There are several existing authorities that could be used to support what President Trump wants to do at the border without creating a court case or declaring an emergency," said Blunt, R-Mo., who is the Republican Policy Committee Chairman. "I have encouraged him to use those authorities."
Other Senate Republicans who voted with Democrats were Lamar Alexander, Susan Collins, Mike Lee, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, and Roger Wicker.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/12-gop-senators-rebuke-trump-vote-with-dems-to-block-border-emergency