The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday night to block President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration for money to build a border wall along the U.S. southern border.
The Democratic-led House voted 245-182 passing a resolution to terminate the declaration, according to The Associated Press.
Thirteen Republicans joined with Democrats in voting for the measure, but the numbers supporting the resolution are not enough to override a presidential veto, which Trump has threatened.
The measure now heads to the Senate, where its fate is unknown.
Original story: House Democrats on Friday introduced a resolution to block the national emergency declaration announced by President Donald Trump last week to fund his promised wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Democrats to back the one-page resolution earlier this week, according to Cox Media Group's Jamie Dupree. It was introduced by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas.
"The President's decision to go outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process violates the Constitution and must be terminated," Pelosi wrote in a letter sent to lawmakers earlier in the week. "We have a solemn responsibility to uphold the Constitution and defend our system of checks and balances against the President's assault."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, echoed Pelosi Thursday in a statement urging legislators to support the House resolution.
“This issue transcends partisan politics, and I urge all senators – Democrats and Republicans – to support this resolution to terminate the president’s emergency declaration when it comes up for a vote in the Senate,” Schumer said. “Identical companion legislation to the House resolution will soon be introduced in the Senate.”
Friday's move sets up a fight that could result in Trump's first-ever veto. It starts the clock on a constitutional clash between Trump and Democrats and sets up a vote by the full House as soon as next week.
Any Trump veto would likely be sustained, but the upcoming battle will test Republican support for Trump's move, which even some of his allies view as a stretch — and a slap at lawmakers' control over the federal purse.
Trump last week signed a national emergency declaration to funnel over $6 billion in funds from the Treasury Department and the Pentagon to pay to build the border wall, Cox Media Group's Jamie Dupree reported.
The declaration already faces numerous legal challenges, including a lawsuit filed by 16 state attorneys general.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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