U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden of Maine joined the majority of the House in supporting the resolution of disapproval of President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration to build a wall on the southern border.
Both Democrats say they do not believe the emergency declaration by the president is warranted. Pingree says the declaration threatens funding for needed upgrades at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery and other needed military construction projects around the country.
“They have $161 million that has been appropriated for funding projects there, there’s a lot of upgrading there that is critically important,” she says.
Golden points out that the resolution may have enough votes to pass the Senate, but not enough to survive an expected veto by the president, so he expects the issue will ultimately be settled in the courts.
“Sounds like there may be enough votes in the Senate, that’s not a sure thing. We are hearing strong messaging out of the White House that they will veto the resolution. I thought that this is an issue likely to play out in the courts,” he says.
