Amid the constant chaos of the Trump presidency, it can be difficult to decipher which controversies are important and which are the result of partisan infighting.
While The Columbian editorially has disagreed with many of President Trump’s policies and actions (and we have agreed with some, as well), it is important to laud the House of Representatives for working to overturn the declaration of a national emergency at the southern border. In the process, we commend U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, for standing up to the president’s egregious violation of constitutional norms.
As Herrera Beutler has stressed, both before and after Tuesday’s vote, this is not a referendum on the need for a border wall. We favor strong border security but believe a wall would be ineffective; Herrera Beutler supports construction of a wall.
But while we disagree on the best way to secure the southern border and stem illegal immigration, we find common ground with the congresswoman regarding Trump’s declaration of a national emergency. The president’s strategy is to take money appropriated by Congress for other purposes and redirect it toward wall construction.
The House of Representatives voted 245-182 this week to stymie that effort, passing legislation that would block it. Herrera Beutler — and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane — were among 13 Republicans to side with Democrats in approving the measure. The proposal now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate, where a vote is expected in the coming weeks.
It is essential for Republicans in Congress to overturn Trump’s attempt to undermine the U.S. Constitution. This is not a matter of policy or national security; it is a matter of the powers spelled out in the nation’s founding document, where the legislative branch is explicitly given the duty of determining how the federal government spends your money.
Since passage of The National Emergencies Act in 1975, presidents have declared nearly 60 emergencies. But in each case, funds directed to a specific emergency have come from appropriations related to that emergency. Trump’s ploy is a dictatorial move that violates that convention. As Herrera Beutler wrote in explaining her vote, “If one president can unilaterally build a wall, the next president can unilaterally tear it down.” The next president also could declare a national emergency related to, say, climate change or gun violence or health care.
Herrera Beutler added: “To clarify, my vote to nullify this latest emergency declaration was a vote to maintain the separation of powers upon which our country was founded. . . . We must proceed in a way that doesn’t open the floodgates for future presidents to abuse a power the founders never intended.”
Congress has declined to provide funding for Trump’s proposed border wall. It was not funded when Republicans had control of both chambers during the first two years of his presidency; it was not funded after Democrats took control of the House. Trump responded by circumventing the legislative branch and ignoring the federal government’s checks and balances.
Herrera Beutler demonstrated an understanding of this in voting to overturn the emergency declaration. Other Republicans of good conscience must follow suit and oppose a president who has seemingly expanded his power beyond the bounds of the Constitution.
The issue likely will eventually be decided in the courts. But for now, it is essential for Republicans to join Herrera Beutler in standing on the right side of history.
