Dem senators vow to stop Trump from using military, disaster relief fund for border wall
Democrat senators have unveiled a bill to block US President Donald Trump from spending military and disaster relief funds to build his infamous wall on the southern border in case he declares a national emergency.
Over a dozen democrats, including Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, presented the legislation on Monday which stymies the president from using military construction funding and the US Army Corps of Engineers' civil works funds, specifically "for the construction of barriers, land acquisition, or any other associated activities on the southern border without specific statutory authorization from Congress," if Trump declares an emergency.
New Mexico Senator Tom Udall maintained that although a national emergency declaration would be objected to in courts, "Congress should not wait for the courts to act."
"We must stand up and assert our role as a co-equal branch of government, and we must prevent the president from going around Congress to raid critical funds … for a politically-motivated, unjustified national emergency declaration that isn’t based in reality," Udall stressed.
The senate democrats fear that a whopping $35 billion from the fiscal 2018 funds could be "subject to raiding," which includes emergency funds for disaster relief and military construction.
Trump has threatened to use his emergency powers to build the wall, should the congress withhold money for his campaign applause line.
Although Trump has been rather tight-lipped on the contingency of emergency declaration, he said last week that he could reveal his plans during the State of the Union address on Tuesday.
The president, however, was less reticent on Friday when he was addressing reporters at the White House, “I think there’s a good chance we’ll have to do that.”
Democrat as well as Republican congresspersons remain at loggerheads with the US leader over the funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border. A prolonged court battle could at once stop the construction of the wall, according to the lawmakers.
Explainer: What’s significance of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, renamed ‘Hind’s Hall’?
Chicago University joins Gaza campus protests
US Senate approves ban on Russian uranium imports
Iraqi media not allowed to use ‘Israel’ for Zionist regime: Official
Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon village kills three civilians
VIDEO | Colombia: Novel and complex path
Rachel Corrie's dad 'proud' of her alma mater’s divestment from Israel
Assad: Crackdown on pro-Palestine protests exposes West’s state of panic
Hamas’ stance, demands in truce talks leave Netanyahu in dilemma: Analyst
Anti-Israel operation unveiled ‘small part of Iran’s capabilities’: Ex-FM
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
