[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5637-S5638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Declaration of National Emergency

  Madam President, on the national emergency--another issue that 
involves rule of law and the President's overreach--this week, as early 
as tomorrow, the Senate will vote on whether to terminate the 
President's national emergency declaration, which he has used to steal 
from our military to build the border wall--a wall President Trump 
promised over and over again that Mexico would pay for; not American 
taxpayers, not American troops, not their families--Mexico. That was 
the President's promise to the American people. It is a promise he 
broke. But that is what it has come to.
  If my Republican friends choose to stand with President Trump on this 
vote, they will be supporting the President's taking money from our 
military and their families to fund a border wall. I imagine that even 
many of those who support the wall--and that is not a majority or close 
to a majority of Americans--would not want the money to come from the 
military.
  Later this morning, Democrats will have a press conference where we 
will talk about this. We will remind people that the consequences of 
the President's emergency declaration are far-reaching. He is taking 
money away from military readiness, military families, and the children 
of servicemembers. He is taking money from military medical facilities 
in North Carolina and hurricane recovery projects in Florida, money 
from programs we use to combat Russian cyber aggression and money to 
upgrade storage facilities that are decrepit and pose a risk because of 
the munitions that are stored there.
  What the heck are we doing here? Congress appropriated these funds 
with a specific purpose. In our Constitution, the President doesn't get 
to decide where the money goes; we do. He gets veto power. He tried to 
shut down the government and failed. If he can get around the 
constitutionally sanctioned balance of power--that is what a dictator 
does, not someone who believes in democracy and rule of law.
  What he has done here far exceeds any overreach that my Republican 
colleagues complain about that President Obama did. But, remarkably, 
too many are silent. Too many are willing to go along. The fear of this 
President, who many of my colleagues know privately does not have the 
honor, morality, honesty, and actually competence to do this job--they 
know that, but they go along with just about everything he does.
  On a policy basis, you can shrug your shoulders. That is the 
differences between the parties. But when it comes to defending the 
Constitution and rule of law and not letting the Executive overreach--
the No. 1 fear of the Founding Fathers--we are above that. Where are 
our Republican colleagues?

[[Page S5638]]

  I am sure if the shoe were on the other foot and a Democrat were 
President and declared an emergency to reappropriate funds, my 
Republican colleagues would be up in arms. As I mentioned, when 
President Obama did far less, they were screaming bloody murder. But 
now they are remarkably silent.
  So it is about time our Senate Republicans stand up for the rule of 
law, stand up for our Constitution, and stand up to the President when 
he is wrong. It is time to reassert the powers of the legislative 
branch, the people's branch of government. Senate Republicans will have 
that opportunity this week, likely tomorrow, and the American people 
will clearly be able to see whose side each Republican is on--the 
people's side, the Constitution's side, or the President's side.