Republican senators skeptical of using national emergency for wall funding

Republican senators are keeping their distance from talk of declaring a national emergency to get funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, even as President Trump has floated the possibility.

Several GOP senators on Tuesday appeared skeptical about taking the controversial step, though they stressed they didn't know what Trump was planning. The senators added that they would prefer to resolve the border stalemate through legislation.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee, said she supports building the wall but said the president should "tread lightly" when it comes to using an emergency declaration.

"Whether that rises the the level of a national emergency. ...My understanding is that was used right after 9/11, I think, I think the president needs to tread lightly here and make sure that's warranted," she said. "That's a pretty big and bold statement to use the statue in that way."

She added that the "best scenario" would be for Trump and congressional lawmakers to get a deal "without declaring a national emergency."

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/424453-republican-senators-skeptical-of-using-national-emergency-for-wall-funding

Probably why Drumpf hasn't used an emergency declaration yet.