Rep. McNerney Responds to President Trump's National Emergency Declaration

Statement

In response to President Trump's announcement that he will declare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border in order to acquire congressionally appropriated funds for new construction of a border wall, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) issued the following statement:

"Today the president announced his decision to trample over the Constitution in a nefarious effort to fulfill a campaign promise that he knew would never come true. What began as a vow to make Mexico pay for 1,400 miles of a solid concrete wall quickly became scattered "steel slats" that would be paid for by American taxpayers -- with no cohesive strategy to strengthen security or address the humanitarian crisis at our southern border.

"President Trump has upended our government. He forced a partial shutdown that hurt hundreds of thousands of federal employees and our economy. Even still, he is unable to gain the support needed to push his wall through the constitutionally-sanctioned process. As the Commander in Chief, he is willfully flouting his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution in favor of his own personal ambitions, and in doing so, he sets a perilous precedent that would expand executive powers. For a nation whose success is dependent upon checks and balances within a representative government, this is a disturbing move toward a dangerous concentration of power."

Source