Despite the GOP controlling the chamber, the U.S. Senate backed a proposal from Democrats overturning President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the border due to illegal immigration. Trump has already promised to veto the measure.
The Senate passed the measure on Thursday on a 59-41 vote with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., joining more than ten other Republicans to back it. Rubio said he backed securing the border but disagreed with how, under the declaration, Trump would fund a wall on the border.
“We have an emergency at our border, which is why I support the president’s use of forfeiture funds and counter-drug money to build a wall,” Rubio said. “However, I cannot support moving funds that Congress explicitly appropriated for construction and upgrades of our military bases. This would create a precedent a future president may abuse to jumpstart programs like the Green New Deal, especially given the embrace of socialism we are seeing on the political left.”
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., voted against the proposal and said he continued to back Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.
“For years, everyone in both parties has said they want to secure our border, but they never did anything about it. It’s time to get serious about border security and the safety of American families. That’s why I support the president’s efforts to secure the border and voted against the resolution of disapproval today,” Scott said on Thursday.
