Sen. Chris Coons on the Border Wall

YOU THE DEMOCRATS, HAVE SAID IN RELATION TO PRESIDENT TRUMP DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND MOVING MONEY FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER, A GROSS ABUSE OF POWER.

WHY?

I MEAN OTHER PRESIDENTS HAVE DECLARED STATES OF EMERGENCY.

GEORGE W. BUSH DID MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES.

PRESIDENT OBAMA DID MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES.

TWO THINGS.

THIS IS NOT JUST DEMOCRATS SAYING THIS.

LAMAR ALEXANDER, VERY SEASONED REPUBLICAN FROM TENNESSEE SAID IT WAS UNWISE, UNWARRANTED AND DEFIES THE SPIRIT OF THE CONSTITUTION.

BOTH SENATOR JOHNSON WHO'S CHAIRMAN OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SENATOR TILLIS WHO SERVES WITH ME ON JUDICIARY HAVE EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT WHAT SORT OF PRECEDENT THIS SETS.

BECAUSE THIS ISN'T IN RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY THAT HAS PRESENTED ITSELF WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THERE'S NO TIME FOR US TO HAVE A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

IN FACT, WE'VE DEBATED THE PRESIDENT'S REQUESTS FOR FUNDING A BORDER WALL THREE CONGRESSES IN A ROW.

I'LL REMIND YOU WHEN THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THEY DIDN'T PROVIDE ANYTHING LIKE 6 OR $7 BILLION TO BUILD A GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL CONCRETE WALL.

WE HAVE REACHED A BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS IN THE CONGRESS ABOUT HOW MUCH TO INVEST IN BORDER SECURITY AND WHAT SORT OF BORDER FENCING TO BUILD AND THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO GO AROUND THE CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED ROLE OF CONGRESS IN SPENDING BY DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

I'M NOT SAYING OUR BORDER IS SECURE.

IT ISN'T.

I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT BORDER SECURITY.

WE DO.

BUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE CONGRESS CAME TO A COMMON UNDERSTANDING.

WE'VE PASSED LEGISLATION AND PRESENTED IT TO THE PRESIDENT.

IN ORDER TO MEET A CAMPAIGN PROMISE HE'S DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND TRYING TO DO AN END AROUND, AND WE'VE ALREADY REALLOCATED FOR DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT PURPOSES.

ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE SENATE LEADERSHIP, MITCH McCONNELL WHO SAID OPENLY AND TOLD THE PRESIDENT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT YOU ON THIS DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY NOW DOES.

HE UNDERSTANDS AND HAS JEALOUSLY GUARDED SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PREROGATIVES OF THE SENATE.

I APPRECIATE THAT SENATOR McCONNELL HAS REFUSED TO TRY AND END THE LEGISLATIVE FILIBUSTER EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY BERATED HIM ABOUT I APPRECIATE THAT SOME OF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RULE OF LAW AND PROTECTING THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION.

BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO CAST VOTES, FAR TOO FEW OF THEM HAVE BEEN WILLING TO STAND UP AGAINST THEIR PRESIDENT OF THEIR PARTY.

OUR PRESIDENT BUT OF THEIR PARTY WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE SENATE, PROTECTING THE RULE OF LAW, AND PROTECTING THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION. THESE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WILL BE VERY CONSEQUENTIAL.