PORTLAND, Ore. — Only two Republicans represent Oregon and southwest Washington in Congress.
Both disagree with President Donald Trump’s move to declare a national emergency to pay for a border wall.
Rep. Greg Walden represents most of central and southern Oregon. He issued a statement that reads in part:
"Congress has granted the executive branch certain spending authorities.
I strongly object to any president acting outside of those explicit authorities to spend money that Congress has not appropriated for specific initiatives,” he wrote.
In other words, the president can’t just grab money and spend it on whatever he wants.
Professor Jim Moore from Pacific University said this is a huge moment in American governance.
“We’re moving beyond partisanship. We’re moving to the way the Constitution is intended to work,” he said.
Moore said the president’s move shifts the loyalties in Congress.
“Partisanship has been ruling that. So if your president’s in office and you’re in Congress, you just say yes to whatever that is. Whether that’s Democrat, Republican, depending on your party. But now we have the Republicans with their president saying you’ve gone a step too far. You’ve gone over congressional prerogatives and powers,” he said.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who represents southwest Washington, warned the president’s move could set a bad precedent.
"Some conservatives may cheer today but someday it is likely that the shoe will be on the other foot and a liberal president would have the power to disregard Congress,” she wrote
Rep. Herrera Beutler also said she is against the president's move.
Professor Moore said the long-term implications are huge, which is why we can expect a major battle over all this.