President Donald Trump states clearly that he “absolutely” has the Right to declare a national emergency as a way of achieving his promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico.
That’s one way he could try to curb the budget deadlock that has led to a lengthy government shutdown, without neglecting a project that was a centerpiece in his campaign.
Opposition Democrats, who have refused to authorize the billions needed for the wall, say he’s wrong. The big question is, is there anything that can be done to stop the greatly opposed move? Let’s see.
The National Emergencies Act has a clause that allows Congress to terminate the emergency status if both houses vote for it – and the president does not veto.
With a comfortable majority in the House, Democrats could pass such a resolution to the Senate.
The Republicans control the Senate, but a number of Republican senators have been vocal in their agitation about the president invoking a national emergency.
The dissenting Republicans include 2012 presidential contender and new senator for Utah Mitt Romney, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and the senator from Maine Susan Collins, who said the move was of “dubious constitutionality”.
The resolution would however still require Mr. Trump’s signature to pass, allowing him to veto it.
A supermajority in both houses of Congress is what is needed to overturn a presidential veto.