You are reading

Meng to Introduce Legislation to Stop Trump from Declaring a National Emergency to Fund Border Wall

Grace Meng (Photo: Meng)

Jan. 11, 2019 By Christian Murray

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng announced Thursday that she will be introducing legislation that aims to block President Donald Trump from declaring a national emergency so that he can build a border wall.

The “No Walls Act” would prohibit the construction of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border if national emergencies are declared during government shutdowns. Under the measure, barriers would include fences, walls and steel slats.

“It is unconscionable that President Trump is threatening to side-step Congress and declare a fake national emergency in order to build his wall, as funding for the government and more than 800,000 federal workers hangs in the balance,” Meng said in a statement.

“We must send a clear message to the President that creating this type of manufactured emergency for the sole purpose of securing an unrealistic campaign promise is unacceptable,” Meng added.

Meng said she plans to introduce the bill Friday and questioned the constitutionality of using a national emergency to fund the wall.

“There can be legitimate national emergencies. Federal agencies can construct authorized border barriers. But the President can’t just refuse to fund the government, say [‘Emergency’] and get whatever political wish he desires,” she said. “That’s not how the Constitution works. The passage of my legislation would ensure that this outrageous abuse of power does not happen, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.”