U.S. House votes again to end Trump’s border emergency declaration

New bollard-style border fencing is seen in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on March 5, 2019. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday backed for a second time legislation that would terminate President Donald Trump’s February declaration of a national emergency on the southern border with Mexico, sending the measure to the White House for Trump’s expected veto.

The Democratic-led House passed the joint resolution by 236-174, as 11 Republicans and one independent joined Democrats in casting yea votes. The Republican-led Senate approved the measure earlier this week by 54-41. Eleven of the Senate’s 53 Republicans joined Democrats favouring the resolution.

Trump used the very first veto of his presidency this March to strike down a similar measure that had cleared the House and Senate. Congress was unable to muster the two-thirds majorities in both chambers to override that veto and is not expected to do so this time.

Trump declared the emergency on the southern border to circumvent Congress and take money already designated for other programs to pay for the U.S.-Mexico border wall he promised to build during his 2016 campaign.

Read more of this report

Visited 160 times, 1 visit(s) today

Comments are closed.