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Portman Joins Other Republicans In Voting Against Trump's Emergency Declaration

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Rob Portman outlines his plan for how he thinks President Trump could fund the border wall without declaring a national emergency

Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday, Ohio's Republican Senator Rob Portman said he would "vote to support the disapproval resolution before us" regarding President Donald Trump's emergency declaration for a border wall, while still maintaining he supports the president's overall plan. Soon after, the Senate overturned Trump's declaration by a 59-41 vote. 

Previously, Portman had only said Trump's declaration made him "uncomfortable" and that he was undecided on how he would vote. 

"I know the president has the votes to pursue his approach. Even if the disapproval resolution passes, he can veto it, and his veto will be sustained; I know that," he said Thursday. "But I continue to hope the president uses the funds he has available to him without creating a bad precedent having some of the needed funds tied up in the courts and taking money from important military projects." 

Prior to making his announcement, Portman outlined the approach he thinks the president should take: $1.375 billion appropriated by Congress in 2019; $681 million from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund; and $4 billion from the DOD Counter-Drug Account will add up to the $5.7 billion Trump seeks for the wall he wants to construct along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

"I do believe we have a crisis at the border - a humanitarian crisis, a trafficking crisis, a drug crisis," Portman said, adding that the wall has been "mischaracterized as a wall built from sea to shining sea." 

A dozen Republicans voted with all Senate Democrats in backing the resolution. NPR reports that neither chamber is expected to muster the two-thirds support necessary to override the presidential veto Trump is likely to enact.

Jennifer Merritt brings 20 years of "tra-digital" journalism experience to WVXU.