Congressman Fred Upton is among the members of the U.S. House to vote for a resolution to end President’s Trump’s emergency declaration for a border wall with Mexico. Upton told us previously the idea of the president spending billions of dollars for such a project without the authorization of Congress didn’t sit well with him. He was one of the House Republicans to join Democrats to approve the resolution Tuesday. His office issued a statement in which Upton said “declaring a national emergency and reprogramming already appropriated funds without the approval of Congress is a violation of the Constitution.” He added he hopes the House and Senate will work together to find an appropriate solution to the question of border security.
Below is Upton’s full statement.
“The Constitution makes it clear that the power of the purse – “spending” – be initiated by the Congress. Our founding fathers believed in the principles of checks and balances, and it is our responsibility as members of Congress to maintain that authority – no matter who is President. Strengthening our borders is an urgent necessity, but declaring a national emergency and reprogramming already appropriated funds without the approval of Congress is a violation of the Constitution. All of us took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. In this particular case, it is in fact likely that a majority of both the House and Senate will vote to disapprove the emergency designation. I would encourage the House and Senate to work together to find an appropriate solution to secure our border within the bounds of the Constitution. This particular emergency declaration establishes an unfortunate precedent for the future.”
