Castro Remarks on Privileged Resolution to Terminate Trump’s Fake Emergency Declaration
– As Delivered –
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committee, today made the following remarks following introduction of a privileged resolution that would terminate President Trump’s emergency declaration (H.J.Res. 46):
“Good morning, everybody. Thank you for joining us on this very important topic today.
“Not too long ago this morning, I filed H.J.Res. 46, a privileged resolution that will give the Congress an opportunity to vote on terminating the national emergency declaration that President Trump declared to fund his border wall.
“I wanted to give you some context and background to this and how it came about. About six weeks ago, when it was rumored that the President might declare a national emergency for such a purpose, my staff and I began working with Legislative Council to figure out the best way to make sure that Congress could take a vote on this issue and potentially terminate the resolution.
“H.J.Res. 46 is the product of those six weeks of work. What the President is attempting is an unconstitutional power grab. He has throughout his Presidency sought to undermine the Judiciary and now the Legislative branches of government.
“This is an historic power grab and it will require historic unity by Members of Congress—Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative—to counteract the President’s parasitic movement.
“The reason I have a strong interest in this, as I know everybody in Congress does, is, because for one, I am the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
“Hispanic Caucus members represent every single district along the U.S. Mexico border, except District 23, Will Hurd’s district in Texas. Congressman Hurd himself as been very clear that there is no need for a border wall and that a border wall is inappropriate on the U.S. Mexico border.
“I also represent the Texas Democrats, I am the chair of the Texas Democrats. Texas has the longest border with Mexico, roughly 1200 miles. Larger than any state in the nation. And so, this is obviously very consequential both for the members of the Hispanic Caucus and for the Texas Democrats and all Americans.
“And I want to say a very special thank you to Speaker Pelosi, for all of her leadership and her hard work on this. She has helped marshal support for the resolution.
“Right now, I believe that we are at about 226 or 227 cosponsors, including one Republican, Justin Amash. I look forward to gaining more support as the days go on.
“I should also mention that there are big implications for military funding. My city San Antonio is known as Military City USA.
“We have Joint Base San Antonio, a large instillation. Military instillations here. Funding could potentially be cut for projects that Joint Base San Antonio as well as other Texas instillations such as Fort Bliss and the Red River Army Depo.
“The same could be said for the states with military instillations across the country if President Trump is successful in taking money from the military and military construction projects to fund his border wall.
“It should also be said that there is no emergency at the border. Border crossings are at a decade low. We have more resources committed to the border than we have ever had in our nation’s history when you look at the federal, state and local resources that have been committed to the border.
“So, I hope that Members of Congress—regardless of party—will put their country above any political party and stand together united against what is a power grab by this President.
“And with that, I will be glad to take some questions. But before that, of course we will turn it over to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”
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