Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) predicted Monday that ten Republican senators will vote for a Democrat resolution to end President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration to build the wall.
Sen. Paul told reporters that he believes that ten Republicans senators will vote to end Trump’s national emergency declaration. Paul announced Saturday that he will vote for the Democrat resolution.
“I can’t vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress. We may want more money for border security, but Congress didn’t authorize it,” Paul said. “If we take away those checks and balances, it’s a dangerous thing.”
The Kentucky Republican’s prediction arises as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly broke a promise to President Trump: McConnell promised to back the national emergency in exchange for Trump’s endorsement of a long-term spending bill. McConnell said that the Democrat resolution to end the national emergency will pass through the Senate. However, if Paul correctly predicts the Senate vote, then the resolution will pass through the Senate, but Senate Republicans and Democrats would not be able to defeat a presidential veto unless more Republicans defect.
“What is clear in the Senate is that there will be enough votes to pass the resolution of disapproval, which will then be vetoed by the president and then in all likelihood the veto will be upheld in the House,” McConnell said.
Currently, four senators have come out in favor ofthe Democrat resolution. Sens. Paul, Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Tom Tillis (R-NC) have come out publicly against Trump’s executive action to secure the border.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) has not announced his decision regarding the national emergency, but said Monday he will reveal his decision at the “right time.”
Sen Romney says he will put out a statement on disapproval resolution “at a time that I think is the right time” but is still trying to decide when that will be
— Erica Werner (@ericawerner) March 4, 2019
McConnell later also said that he tried to convince Trump to not declare a national emergency, contending that future Democrat presidential administrations might abuse Trump’s precedent.
“That’s one reason I argued without success that he not take this route,” McConnell said.
“I was one of those hoping the president would not take the national emergency route,” McConnell added. “Once he decided to do that I said I would support it, but I was hoping he wouldn’t take that particular path.”
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