House rebukes Trump on border wall, but he plans veto

WASHINGTON – The Democratic-controlled House made a second attempt Friday to overturn President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to raid military base projects such as schools and target ranges to pay for his long-promised border fence.

The 236-174 vote sent the legislation to Trump, who is sure to veto it just as he killed a similar measure in March.

The Senate passed the measure last week with about a dozen veteran Republican lawmakers rebuking Trump.

Friday’s vote was different because it followed the recent release by the administration of a list of 127 military construction projects totaling $3.6 billion that will be canceled to pay for the border wall, including numerous projects in GOP districts and states.

His supporters said Trump is justified in grabbing the money to defend a porous southern border and said Democrats were wasting their time.

Democrats countered that Trump is trampling on Congress’ power of the purse and warned the White House that Trump won’t get funding to replace the money taken from military projects.

“The administration’s decision also dishonors the Constitution by negating its most fundamental principle, the separation of powers,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “It’s an assault on our power of the purse.”

Only 11 Republicans broke with Trump on the vote.

“This is all about politics, making sure we have an open border,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. “What we are seeing today is nothing more than political theatre.”

“The president chose his wall over our national security and the needs of our service members and their families,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. “We will not give this president a blank check by backfilling these projects. Terminating the president’s fake national emergency declaration is the only way to restore the 127 projects whose funding he stole.”