Vice President Pence is floating an offer to Republican senators that could lead to the defeat of a Democratic resolution overturning President Trump ’s emergency declaration…
Vice President Pence is floating an offer to Republican senators that could lead to the defeat of a Democratic resolution overturning President Trump ’s emergency declaration to build a wall on the Mexican border, according to GOP sources briefed on the matter.
Under the deal offered by Pence, Trump would sign legislation reining in his power to declare future national emergencies if they defeat the resolution of disapproval.
Killing the resolution on the Republican-controlled Senate floor would spare the president a major embarrassment and avoid him having to issue the first veto of his presidency.
But there is some skepticism among GOP senators whether Trump will actually go through with it. And the plan is hurt by the fact that a bill to curb the president’s power to declare national emergencies won’t come to the Senate floor until after the March recess.
Pence met Tuesday with a group of Republicans, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), the sponsor of legislation to curb the president’s national emergency declaration power, as well as Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N. C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). Lee’s measure would require Congress to vote to extend a national emergency declaration after a period of 30 days. It is still undergoing some revisions, according to GOP senators.
Senate Republicans familiar with the offer say there would have to be an ironclad promise from Trump to sign Lee’s bill in order to flip Republicans who currently say they will vote « no. »
So far, Trump himself hasn’t made any such pledges, leaving the process in limbo.
