Posted on 03/12/2019 4:15:07 PM PDT by jazusamo
More than a dozen Republican senators introduced legislation on Tuesday that would make it easier for Congress to terminate future national emergency declarations, days before the chamber will vote on President Trump's.
The legislation, spearheaded by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), would require that Congress pass a resolution extending an emergency declaration after 30 days for it to continue, otherwise it would be terminated.
“If Congress is troubled by recent emergency declarations made pursuant to the National Emergencies Act, they only have themselves to blame. Congress gave these legislative powers away in 1976 and it is far past time that we as an institution took them back. If we don’t want our president acting like a king we need to start taking back the legislative powers that allow him to do so," Lee said in a statement. In addition to Lee, GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Thom Tillis (N.C.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Jerry Moran (Kansas), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Rob Portman (Ohio), Todd Young (Ind.), Mitt Romney (Utah), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Roger Wicker (Miss.) are supporting the legislation.
The legislation—known as the Assuring that Robust, Thorough, and Informed Congressional Leadership is Exercised Over National Emergencies, or ARTICLE ONE, Act—would be a significant change to the mechanism Congress has to block a national emergency declaration.
Currently, Congress has to pass a resolution of disapproval to block Trump's emergency declaration on constructing the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump is expected to veto the resolution and neither chambers are expected to be able to override that veto.
Trump's emergency declaration has sparked a widespread discussion among Senate Republicans about if they should change the National Emergencies Act. Though Republicans largely support Trump on border security they are concerned that a future Democratic president will use his precedent to force through issues like climate change or gun control.
Lee's legislation would not impact Trump's current emergency declaration on the wall but, if passed, would impact any future emergency declarations.
Senators are discussing changes to the emergency powers law with the White House but it's unclear if Trump would support reining in his own executive authority, and he's consistently bristled at attempts by Congress to force his hand on legislation.
Blunt, a member of GOP leadership, said that Trump had raised concerns about executive overreach by previous presidents and that supporting Lee's legislation would give him a chance to get back in line with his campaign rhetoric.
"Well the president had problems with a candidate with the Obama overreach, so he's been on record for some time on this topic," he said. "I think this will give him a chance to get back to where he was three years ago."
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters on Tuesday that Republican senators were looking at amending the law.
"We're looking at some ways to revisit the law. There's a lot of discomfort with the law. …Was it too broad back in the 70s when it was passed? So yeah, we're discussing altering that," McConnell told reporters during a weekly press conference.
Asked if he would support Lee's legislation, McConnell added that he "may well."
National Emergency nor specific budget is required for a wall.
The Constitution just says build the darn Wall for U.S. security.
Yep.
Yes, I did too! Supported him early against Dewhurst - another RINO.
Loved his stand and filibuster against Obama.
I believe Cruz ran too early for president. He was lifted up on his on petard of conservatives believing he was a constitutionalist. I believed him until he lost the nomination.
I was reluctant against Trump due to all the “conservative” media that then candidate Trump was blah, blah, blah. I was a big time Cruz supporter.
After the nomination, my eyes were opened and I began watching all of Trumps rallies. At that point, I told my husband, he has a chance to beat HRC. My husband could not believe my transformation.
I support President Trump and regret ever doubting him.
You should not have regrets because many conservatives initially thought DJT was in it to divide the party and let HRC waltz into the White House.
I too was concerned about Trump. In 2015 weeks after he announced his candidacy, I set aside a weekend in August 2015 to research at Suzzalo Library’s periodical floor for the sole purpose of digging up information about Trump. This library is much more powerful for research than the internet.
But what I found shocked me. I found dozens and dozens and dozens of examples where Donald Trump quietly and without fanfare worked outside the limelight to help people in need.
If I was to tell each of the stories where Donald Trump helped rescue someone without drawing attention to himself, I would need to write several volumes.
Here’s a little of what I found that I posted to FR in August 2015:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3330070/posts?page=86#79
Ditto!
Where was Lee when Obama was going actual rogue? Ironic how so many thought him the ultimate conservative and wanted him for POTUS....turning out to be another Rubio.
I support Trump doing this because if the left is going to cheat, I’m all for fighting fire with fire. But letting him get his order and then restoring a more normal balance is a good idea.
LOL. The next time Thom Tillis “fights fire with fire” will be the first time. When a murderers row of Hillary enabling Never Trumpers is sponsoring a bill you know the worthless GOP Senate is up to no good. It’s that simple.
It doesn’t matter if this Bill is passed or not. The next DEMOCRAT president is going to do ANYTHING he wants.
Or she :-(
Well, not as long as we keep at least one house of Congress.
I have to admit, for anything short of Pearl Harbor, I’m not sure I’m OK with any kind of emergency powers. There is little that shouldn’t see sunlight and debate. Yeah, we need to move on the border, no argument
Traitors, every one. Supporting open borders and mass illegal immigration, while claiming to be conservative. I think Rs that do this are worse than dims. At least you know where they stand.
The Statesman looking for the finest moment in a politician’s life will not find it in the moments of those five, worse than hypocrites Senators, Collins, Murkowsky, the vile Tillis, the idiot Rand Paul and last but not least the surprise back-stabbing, attention grabbing man, who I once respected....Mike Lee.
I am grateful I never bought his book, because I saw hints of what he was for a while now.
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