MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for bipartisan support to a resolution to overturn President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico.
'I write to invite all Members of Congress to cosponsor Congressman Joaquin Castro's privileged resolution to terminate this emergency declaration,' Pelosi said in a letter sent to Democrats and Republicans late Wednesday, which is a rare action.
'The President's decision to go outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional legislative process violates the Constitution and must be terminated,' she added.
The top most Democrat in the Congress reminded the lawmakers of their solemn responsibility to uphold the Constitution, and 'defend our system of checks and balances against the President's assault.'
Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-D) is set to introduce on Friday a resolution to terminate the President's emergency declaration under the National Emergencies Act (NEA).
The National Emergencies Act includes a process by which Congress can terminate a national emergency through expedited legislative procedures by enacting a joint resolution. It must then be referred to the appropriate committee of the Senate with an identical expedited process and timeline.
Castro said while Presidents have declared national emergencies for urgent matters of national security, President Trump has unconstitutionally usurped congressional authority by declaring an emergency based upon unfounded hype rather than any substantive emergency.
Border crossings are lower than they have been in four decades, according to the Texas congressman.
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