Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie will vote for a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, the libertarian-leaning congressman announced on Twitter Tuesday.
Massie is the second congressman to announce his support for the resolution, which is expected to be voted on Tuesday.
Republican Michigan Rep. Justin Amash is co-sponsoring the resolution and has been a frequent critic of Trump’s immigration policies. Massie says he supports a border wall, but opposes Trump’s expansion of executive power. (RELATED: House GOP Backs Trump On National Emergency Declaration)
I support President Trump and I support the wall. In fact I voted to fund the wall for the full amount requested by @realDonaldTrump. I also called out President Obama when he tried to use his pen and phone to sidestep Congress on immigration, war, healthcare, and gun control.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
In order to be consistent in preserving the constitutional structure of our Republic, I will be voting for the resolution to prevent the President from using a national emergency declaration to re-appropriate money for the wall.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
“I support President Trump, and I support the wall. In fact, I voted to fund the wall for the full amount requested by [Trump],” Massie said. “I also called out President Obama when he tried to use his pen and phone to sidestep Congress on immigration, war, healthcare and gun control.”
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC on February 15, 2019. – President Donald Trump, repeating his claim that “walls work,” announced that he will declare a national emergency in order to build a barrier on the US-Mexico border without funding from Congress. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Massie explained that his vote was about consistency: “In order to be consistent in preserving the constitutional structure of our Republic, I will be voting for the resolution to prevent the [p]resident from using a national emergency declaration to re-appropriate money for the wall.”
The resolution is expected to easily pass the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. Additionally, Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have all announced their intentions to vote for the resolution, meaning that only one more Republican senator is needed to pass the law and likely force Trump to issue the first veto of his presidency.