The Democrat-controlled House voted 245-182 Tuesday evening to revoke President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Thirteen Republicans voted with the Democrats to block the President’s effort to secure the funds needed to construct a wall on the U.S.-southern border.
Pelosi quickly praised the vote to “stop Trump’s fake emergency” and called on the Senate “to follow suit.”
House Democrats held a press conference on Monday vowing to "terminate" the Feb. 15 National Emergency Declaration.
The Senate will soon vote on the House Democrats' resolution of disapproval, setting up a possible first-ever veto by President Trump.
Fox News reports,
Tuesday's vote marked the first time the House or Senate has tried to terminate a presidential declaration of a national emergency, using the provisions of the National Emergencies Act of 1976. Former Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., attempted a similar effort regarding a national emergency declared by then-President George W. Bush, but the measure never came to a vote on the House floor.
Should enough Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate defect and support the House bill, a two-thirds supermajority in both the Senate and House would be needed to override Trump's veto. The White House issued a formal veto threat Tuesday ahead of the House vote, ramping up pressure on Republicans to hold the line. (With 427 representatives voting, the House needed 285 yeas to have a veto-proof margin on this legislation, and fell far short.)
President Trump has already made it clear that he will “100 percent” veto the measure if it makes it to his desk.