WASHINGTON – To Congressman Tom Reed and other members of Congress, President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration at the U.S. Southern Border is more than a debate regarding national security.
Reed and some of his colleagues are pushing for a bill that would require Congress to approve a national emergency declaration. Several political pundits have said they wouldn’t be surprised if Reed and others received push back from President Trump. During a teleconference Wednesday morning, WNYNewsNow asked Reed if the President has criticized him. Reed said, at this point, President Trump hasn’t responded negatively.
“I haven’t received any ‘backlash,’ Reed said. “I think what is being recognized is that there are people in the President’s office that obviously want this power, and more power, not with just this president. I’ve heard this multiple times when Obama was president. There’s a philosophy there that the executive branch should have more power than what Congress has already given it.”
“It’s a fundamental disagreement with that assessment, and I think, in the long-term, would be better served as a country to re-establish the balance between the two branches, and also force Congress to do its job.”
Reed is proposing that Congress would need to vote on each and every national emergency action. “At least there’d be accountability in the House and the Senate to the people we represent to determine whether or not that national emergency truly exists,” Reed said. In addition, Reed said that a much more “successful” outcome will occur when a unified stand is taken.
“If we deal with that national emergency as a united front, we are much more successful and in a position to deal with that national emergency and get it taken care of, as opposed to a divided situation where one branch thinks it’s a national emergency, the other doesn’t want to participate because it’s too politically sensitive, and now all of a sudden, you cause division,” Reed said. “That’s what you’re seeing right now with the border crisis. That’s what you’re seeing between the Democratic Party and Republican Party.”
Reed said that it’s also important to make sure that legitimate national emergencies are a top priority for Congress.
According to Reed, a resolution is currently being debated in the Senate.
“Let’s see if there’s action as they deal with that resolution in order to get to the root cause of the problem, that there’s the institutional imbalance between Congress and the President’s Office,” Reed said. “Hopefully, there will be some senators that will join us in our efforts as we go forward because I think there’s a genuine commitment, or willingness, to re-establish the Congressional role in this emergency action process, like what we’re proposing to the amendments to the National Emergency Act.”
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