A group of Republican senators, led by Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), wrote to Government Accountability Office (GAO) Controller General Gene L. Dodaro about President Biden’s executive action related to the southern border.
The lawmakers point out that Biden froze funding for the border wall that was allocated by Congress under the Trump administration, and argue that this move was a violation of the constitution.
“On January 20th, in one of the first official acts of his presidency, Joseph Biden suspended border wall construction and ordered a freeze of funds provided by Congress for that purpose. In the weeks that followed, operational control of our southern border was compromised and a humanitarian and national security crisis has ensued. The President’s actions directly contributed to this unfortunate, yet entirely avoidable, scenario. They are also a blatant violation of federal law and infringe on Congress’s constitutional power of the purse,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. “We write regarding these actions. We believe they violated the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), as interpreted by your office, and we request your legal opinion on the matter. Prompt action to end these violations is required to restore order at the border.”
??This morning, I led 40 of my @SenateGOP colleagues in a letter to @USGAO highlighting President Biden's suspension of border wall funding & construction without lawful justification.
— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) March 17, 2021
Freezing this funding is fueling the crisis at our southern border ??https://t.co/GSjD0aRfna pic.twitter.com/vFuJ5vWaXh
Thirty-nine other Republican lawmakers joined Moore Capito in questioning the Biden administration’s executive action on border control.