Mar 10, 2019

GOP congressman representing 40% of border slams Trump's emergency

Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas), whose district shares 820 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico, told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that "building a 30-foot high concrete structure from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to do border security."

"Building a 30-foot-high structure from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective. The president agrees. What we should be doing is focusing on technology, manpower, physical barriers where it makes sense. ... Congress, back before I was alive, gave this authority up, that they have the power of the purse to the executive branch in times of an emergency. I think we need to claw that back."

The big picture: The Senate is expected to pass a resolution this week disapproving of Trump's use of emergency powers, with at least 4 Republicans expected to sign on. Regardless, Trump plans to use the first veto of his presidency to push on with his plans for a border wall, defying members of his own party.

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