For the second time in the past twenty-four hours, the Republican-controlled United States Senate has voted to rebuke Donald Trump.
By a vote of fifty-nine to forty-one, the Senate concurred with the U.S. House that Donald Trump’s fake national emergency declaration should be terminated, which means that Trump will soon be forced to issue his first veto.
The two successful votes in the House and Senate are groundbreaking. Never before has Congress voted to block a presidential national emergency declaration, but it was certainly appropriate that the nation’s legislative branch assert its powers. The checks and balances found in our Constitution can’t work if they aren’t utilized.
Donald Trump is attempting to abuse the power of the office he occupies to get something that Congress hasn’t given him and won’t give him: money to build a wall on the border with Mexico, a ludicrous idea he simply won’t let go of.
That’s unacceptable and it must not stand.
“I believe the use of emergency powers in this circumstance violates the Constitution,” said Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas.
“This continues our country down the path of all powerful executive — something those who wrote the Constitution were fearful of.”
Moran was one of twelve Republican senators who put country above party today.
The others were Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike Lee of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Marco Rubio of Florida, Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Cory Gardner of Colorado and Martha McSally of Arizona, who are both potentially vulnerable to Democratic challengers in 2020, stuck with Trump.
So did Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had said weeks ago he would vote for the resolution, but changed his mind at the last minute, showing everyone that he’s a spineless coward who has no principles and can’t be trusted to do what he says.
The roll call from the Pacific Northwest was as follows:
Voting Aye: Democratic Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (WA), Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (OR), Jon Tester (MT); Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Voting Nay: Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (ID), Steve Daines (MT), Dan Sullivan (AK)
This post will be updated with statements by Senators as they become available.
Thursday, March 14th, 2019
U.S. Senate joins House in voting to terminate Donald Trump’s fake emergency declaration
For the second time in the past twenty-four hours, the Republican-controlled United States Senate has voted to rebuke Donald Trump.
By a vote of fifty-nine to forty-one, the Senate concurred with the U.S. House that Donald Trump’s fake national emergency declaration should be terminated, which means that Trump will soon be forced to issue his first veto.
The two successful votes in the House and Senate are groundbreaking. Never before has Congress voted to block a presidential national emergency declaration, but it was certainly appropriate that the nation’s legislative branch assert its powers. The checks and balances found in our Constitution can’t work if they aren’t utilized.
Donald Trump is attempting to abuse the power of the office he occupies to get something that Congress hasn’t given him and won’t give him: money to build a wall on the border with Mexico, a ludicrous idea he simply won’t let go of.
That’s unacceptable and it must not stand.
“I believe the use of emergency powers in this circumstance violates the Constitution,” said Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas.
“This continues our country down the path of all powerful executive — something those who wrote the Constitution were fearful of.”
Moran was one of twelve Republican senators who put country above party today.
The others were Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike Lee of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Marco Rubio of Florida, Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Cory Gardner of Colorado and Martha McSally of Arizona, who are both potentially vulnerable to Democratic challengers in 2020, stuck with Trump.
So did Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had said weeks ago he would vote for the resolution, but changed his mind at the last minute, showing everyone that he’s a spineless coward who has no principles and can’t be trusted to do what he says.
The roll call from the Pacific Northwest was as follows:
This post will be updated with statements by Senators as they become available.
# Written by Andrew Villeneuve :: 12:17 PM
Categories: Open Government, Policy Topics
Tags: Accountable Leaders, Roll Call Votes
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