Congressman Fred Upton is not backing down from his vote to support a resolution blocking President Trump’s emergency declaration made to secure money for a wall along the Mexican border.
“I support border security including a physical barrier, but this is not the way to do it to declare an emergency and really go around what the Constitution is very clear about,” Upton said.
He spoke to WSJM News during a stop at Lincoln School in St. Joseph on Friday. He was among 13 Republicans who joined with all the Democrats to vote for the resolution, which he expects will also be passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate despite a veto threat.
“The Constitution is pretty clear. Congress, the House, initiates tax and spending policies. This would establish a new precedent for whoever the next President is, on whatever the issue,” added the St. Joseph Republican.
Thirteen Republicans, including Upton and Justin Amash of Grand Rapids, joined with Democrats this week to vote in favor of the resolution. Upton reminds us all that former President Obama also made the same mistake in trying to secure billions of dollars without the approval of Congress, and that was blocked by the courts.
