House Dems will try to block border emergency

President vows to veto measure if it reaches his desk.

WASHINGTON — House Democrats will file a resolution Friday aimed at blocking the national emergency declaration that President Donald Trump has issued to help finance a wall along the Southwest border, teeing up a clash over billions of dollars, immigration policy and the Constitution’s separation of powers.

That could set up a vote by the full House by midMarch, if not sooner. The battle is over a declaration that Trump, whose border wall was the most visible trademark of his presidential campaign, is using to try spending billions of dollars beyond what Congress has authorized to start building border barriers.

If passed by the Democratic-run House, the measure to block the national emer- gency declaration would then move to the Republican-con- trolled Senate, where there may be enough GOP defections for approval.

Trump has promised to veto the measure, and if he does so, Congress would have to muster a two-thirds majority in each chamber to override a veto.

Aides to Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, were circulating a letter Wednesday to other congressional offices seeking additional co-sponsors to his one-page resolution. “We are planning to introduce it on Friday morning,” said the let- ter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Castro’s measure, which described Trump’s emer- gency declaration, says it “is hereby terminated.”

Congress approved a vast spending bill last week providing nearly $1.4 billion to build 55 miles of border barriers in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley while preventing a renewed government shutdown. That measure represented a rejection of Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to construct more than 200 miles.

Trump signed the bill but also declared a national emergency that he says gives him access to an additional $6.6 billion that would be taken from a federal asset forfeiture fund, Defense Department anti-drug efforts and military construction projects. Democrats and some Republicans say there is no emergency at the border and that Trump is improperly declaring one to work around Congress’ rejection of the higher amounts.