Pelosi says the House won’t take up legislation
The House will not take up a Senate GOP bill that could give Republicans political cover as they vote on whether to block President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday.
By promising not to bring the legislation to the floor, Pelosi hopes to put pressure on Republican lawmakers trying to balance their desire to support Trump’s immigration policy and their professed concerns about presidential power.
The president declared an emergency to secure money for his proposed border wall last month after Congress allotted less money than he wanted for the project. The Democratic-held House already passed a resolution to block Trump’s declaration.
The Senate will vote on the measure Thursday. While four Republican senators — enough to pass the House bill in the Senate with a simple majority — have pledged to back it, some GOP lawmakers have reportedly looked for a way out of dealing an embarrassing blow to Trump. The resolution, which appeared to be a lock to pass the Senate, is less certain to pass now as Republicans seek alternatives.
