New Democrat Coalition Chair Statement on H.J. Res. 46, Privileged Resolution to Terminate President Trump’s Unlawful Emergency Declaration

New Democrat Coalition Chair Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.J. Res. 46, a bipartisan privileged resolution to terminate President Trump’s unlawful emergency declaration, introduced by New Democrat Coalition Member Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20):

“President Trump’s national emergency declaration is a bad idea. Declaring a national emergency is a violation of the spirit of the law and is contrary to our system of checks and balances. Our constitution lays out a separation of powers in which Congress has the power of the purse. The President can work with the House and the Senate to seek funding for his priorities, but a president can’t simply fund things unilaterally.

“Today, I voted with my colleagues to terminate this unlawful emergency declaration because it would pull funding from other critical priorities - raiding funding of military construction projects intended to strengthen the readiness and security of our troops, as well as funds targeted at drug interdiction. Instead, the President should work with Congress to find common ground when it comes to immigration, asylum, and border security challenges.”

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