Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) became the fourth Republican senator to announce he's going to vote in favor of a resolution to block President Trump's national emergency order to build a border wall. That brings the total of GOP senators to four, meaning 45 will more than likely use his veto power for the first time.
While Paul supports Trump's plans to boost border security and build a barrier, he doesn't think the president has chosen the right avenue for funding. He has consistently voted against executive overreach throughout his political career and doesn't plan to stop now.
"I would literally lose my political soul if I decided to treat President Trump different than President Obama," Paul explained in a Fox News op-ed.
The senator also reminded the president that it once seemed he wouldn't dream of using an executive order for his political agenda.
"Donald J. Trump agreed with me when he said in November 2014 that President Barack Obama couldn’t make a deal on immigration so 'now he has to use executive action, and this is a very, very dangerous thing that should be overridden easily by the Supreme Court.'”
Paul joins fellow Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME), Thom Tillis (NC), Lisa Murkowksi (AK) in rebuking Trump's order. Others like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) have not noted how they intend to vote, but have joined their colleagues in voicing their concerns over Trump's action and whether more liberal presidents would use a national emergency for their own radical policies.
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In February, Rubio said he would "wait to see what statutory or constitutional power the President relies on to justify such a declaration before making any definitive statement."
The disapproval resolution passed the House last Tuesday. There is no confirmed date yet for the Senate vote.
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