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Congressman Cohen Condemns Trump Declaration of Emergency

February 15, 2019

Will sign on to resolution to terminate the President’s emergency declaration

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today condemned President Trump's declaration of a state of emergency on the U.S.-Mexican border and made the following statement:

"The President's declaration of a state of emergency on our southern border is not supported by the facts. Apprehensions at the border have been declining for the last 18 years and the drugs that enter our country mainly come through established ports of entry, not at remote border crossings. Trump's own Department of Homeland Security has confirmed this.

"The larger issue is the Constitution. Congress just last night established how much it is willing to spend on border security and what it is willing to spend it on. Funding for a wall was not appropriated. The Constitution gives the power of the purse to Congress only, and the President's plan to raid the military or disaster budget would be a dangerous precedent. This will not be tolerated by Congress which is why I will be a cosponsor of Congressman Castro's resolution to terminate the President's emergency declaration and a bill to prevent President Trump from diverting disaster-recovery funds from Army Corps civil works projects to build his border wall."