House

Whip List: Where Republicans stand on emergency declaration vote

by Cristina Marcos and Jordain Carney - 02/25/19 6:29 PM ET

Republicans are being forced to go on the record over whether they back President Trump’s emergency declaration to secure more money for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The House in February passed a resolution sponsored by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) that would terminate the emergency declaration.

{mosads}Democrats voted unanimously for the measure. Republican leaders worked to limit defections and saw 13 GOP lawmakers join with Democrats.

Now attention is on the upper chamber, where nine Senate Republicans have said they will join Democrats to send the resolution to Trump’s desk.

Trump is expected to veto any resolution to terminate his emergency declaration. Neither chamber is expected to have the two-thirds needed to override a veto.

Here’s where key Republicans stand on the Democratic resolution.

Last updated on March 14 at 2:35 p.m. Recent updates: Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Mike Lee (R-Utah).

Please send updates to mmali@digital-staging.thehill.com.

SENATE

YES (9)

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Alexander called taking funds appropriated for the military “inconsistent with the United States Constitution that I took an oath to support and defend.”

Sen. Susan Collins (Maine)

Collins told reporters in Maine that “if it’s a clean disapproval resolution, I will support it.”

Sen. Mike Lee (Utah)

Lee said he would vote for the disapproval resolution. “We tried to cut a deal, the President didn’t appear interested,” he said.

Sen. Jerry Moran (Kan.)

“I share President Trump’s goal of securing our borders, but expanding the powers of the presidency beyond its constitutional limits is something I cannot support,” Moran said in a tweet the day of the vote.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)

“I will be voting ‘yes’ on the resolution of disapproval,” Murkowski told reporters.

Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.)

“I can’t vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress,” he said.

Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio)

Portman warned on the Senate floor that Trump’s emergency declaration will set “a dangerous new precedent counter to a fundamental constitutional principle” and lead to a prolonged court battle.

Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah)

Romney said he would vote for the resolution. “This is a vote for the constitution and for the balance of powers that is at its core,” he said in a statement.

Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.)

“I think the separation of powers if very important so I think it was a mistake for the president to use this mechanism to fund it,” Toomey said hours before the vote.

UNDECIDED (9)

Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.)

Blunt, a member of leadership, has declined to say how he will vote, telling reporters that he wanted to know what “options” Republicans would have.

Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas)

Cruz said he’s still weighing the administration’s arguments, but has voiced concerns that Trump’s actions set up a “slippery slope” for future presidents.

Sen. Cory Gardner (Colo.)

Gardner said in a statement to The Denver Post that he was reviewing Trump’s actions but “Congress is most appropriately situated to fund border security.” Gardner declined to comment further on Monday, saying he has said “all I’m going to say.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson (Ga.)

Isakson told reporters on Tuesday that he had not made a decision about how he would vote.

Sen. James Lankford (Okla.)

Lankford said he has not made a decision, noting that senators haven’t yet seen details on where Trump will pull money from.

Sen. Martha McSally (Ariz.)

McSally told reporters in Tucson, Ariz., that she was reviewing Trump’s declaration and that her staff was talking to the White House.

Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.)

Rubio hasn’t said how he would vote but said in a statement shortly before Trump’s announcement that “no crisis justifies violating the Constitution” and he was “skeptical” he could support the president’s actions.

Sen. Ben Sasse (Neb.)

Sasse told National Review that while there is a “crisis” at the border, “as a Constitutional conservative I don’t want a future Democratic President unilaterally rewriting gun laws or climate policy.”

Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.)

Wicker declined to say how he would vote on the resolution, telling reporters that he could make a statement in the coming days.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO BACKED THE RESOLUTION (13)

Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.)

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.)

Rep. Mike Gallagher (Wis.)

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.)

Rep. Will Hurd (Texas)

Rep. Dusty Johnson (S.D.)

Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.)

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.)

Rep. Francis Rooney (Fla.)