The Latest: Trump rejects limit to emergency declaration law
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Congress and President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall (all times local):
10:35 a.m.
President Donald Trump is urging Republican senators to support his emergency declaration for border funding, and says any efforts to change the national emergency law should come later.
Trump tweeted Thursday as the GOP-led Senate appeared set to approve a resolution blocking the border emergency he declared to steer more money to his border wall.
Trump stressed that he will not immediately take up proposals to amend the national emergencies law, which some Republicans have been pitching as a way to limit defections in Thursday’s Senate vote.
Said Trump: “If, at a later date, Congress wants to update the law, I will support those efforts, but today’s issue is BORDER SECURITY and Crime!!! Don’t vote with Pelosi!”
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7 a.m.
President Donald Trump is renewing his threat to veto a congressional resolution revoking his declaration of an emergency at the southern border. Trump had declared an emergency to try to circumvent Congress to access more money for his promised border wall.
The Senate is scheduled to vote Thursday on the resolution, with many Republicans expected to join Democrats in disapproving the declaration.
Trump tweeted early Thursday about “the big National Emergency vote today” in the Senate. He said, “I am prepared to veto, if necessary,” and called the situation at the border “a National Security and Humanitarian Nightmare.”
Trump has not yet vetoed a bill. Overturning a presidential veto requires a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate, but there aren’t enough votes to do so on the border resolution.
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12:12 a.m.
The Republican-led Senate is set to deal President Donald Trump a rebuke on his declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border. The only remaining question is how many GOP senators will join Democrats in defying him.
Republicans say Thursday’s showdown vote will result in Congress sending Trump a resolution blocking the border emergency he proclaimed last month to steer an extra $3.6 billion to building barriers. The Democratic-controlled House approved the measure last month.
Senate approval would force Trump to use a veto to protect his “Build the Wall” mantra over objections from his own party.
The vote also forces many GOP senators into a difficult box: defy Trump or assent to an emergency declaration that many lawmakers think goes too far.
