President Trump is attempting to use a national emergency declaration to secure more funding for border barriers than Congress has authorized. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)The White House sought to ratchet up public pressure Wednesday on Republicans considering bucking President Trump on his national emergency declaration, dismissing concerns some have voiced about setting an unwise precedent and urging them to stay united. “Senate Republicans are not voting on constitutionality or precedent, they are voting on desperately needed Border Security & the Wall,” Trump said in an early afternoon tweet. Asked Wednesday morning whether she has a message for Republicans considering voting against the president, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders responded sharply. The administration is also accessing $601 million from a forfeiture fund in the Treasury Department and $2.5 billion from a Pentagon counterdrug account, which it can do without an emergency declaration.

Source: Washington Post March 06, 2019 14:53 UTC