WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips released this statement on President Trump declaring a national emergency today:
“For generations, the Statue of Liberty has stood as the symbol of our nation; a beacon of hope and comfort to the tired, the sick and the weary. That’s the America I know and love, and the America I have sworn to protect and defend as a member of Congress. An imposing wall stretching from sea to shining sea on our southern border is antithetical to those ideals and a gross misuse of precious resources. Instead, a multi-faceted approach to border security, including human resources, technologies, enhanced port security, and physical barriers where appropriate and necessary should comprise our comprehensive strategy.
“From climate change to the gun violence epidemic, our nation faces many pressing problems. We – the President and Congress – were elected to fix them, not to circumvent the very principles that ground our exceptional democracy. The Constitution is clear; appropriations powers sit with the legislature. The President’s overreaching, and possibly illegal, declaration would make us less safe. He should respect the compromise reached by representatives of both parties and in both chambers and we should move forward on the work that the American people expect of us”