Sen. Rand Paul says he'll vote to block President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration over border security, making him the deciding Republican vote on the issue.
According to the Bowling Green Daily News, during a speech at a local Republican fundraiser Paul said he would vote in favor of a resolution to oppose the president's move.
"I can't vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn't been appropriated by Congress," Paul reportedly said.
"We may want more money for border security, but Congress didn't authorize it. If we take away those checks and balances, it's a dangerous thing."
Paul is the fourth Senate Republican to pledge a vote against Trump's emergency declaration to build a border wall without Congress' approval, along with 47 Democrats.
The resolution has already passed out of the Democratic-led House, but the president has indicated he will veto the measure if it passes.
Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber.
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, who represents Kentucky's 4th Congressional district, was one of the few Republicans to vote in favor of blocking Trump's declaration.
On Twitter last week, Massie said he agreed with the president's stance on border security, but not with his methods.
"There is a crisis at our border, but it's not an emergency when Congress doesn't spend money how the President wants. The President's constitutional remedy is to veto spending bills that aren't suitable to him, yet he has chosen to sign many bills that did not fund the wall,"
There is a crisis at our border, but it’s not an emergency when Congress doesn’t spend money how the President wants. The President’s constitutional remedy is to veto spending bills that aren’t suitable to him, yet he has chosen to sign many bills that did not fund the wall.— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 26, 2019
Trump declared the emergency last month after Congress didn't vote to dedicate $5.7 billion for a border wall along the country's southern border.
He said the wall is necessary to combat the drug trade and illegal immigration. The emergency declaration allows the president to divert money from other federal programs to fund construction.
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