Democrats immediately prepared to advance legislation that would curtail the president’s abilities to use certain funds after a national emergency declaration. A group of Democratic senators — including Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, all aspiring presidential nominees — collaborated on a measure to prevent Mr. Trump from using funds appropriated for disaster relief to pay for border wall construction. [Sign up for Crossing the Border, a limited-run newsletter about life where the United States and Mexico meet.] In waging a shutdown battle over the barrier, he has made it the nearly singular focus of his presidency in his third year in office. At one point during the shutdown, Mr. Trump asked Ms. Pelosi if she would be willing to support the wall in 30 days if he agreed to reopen the government.

Source: New York Times February 14, 2019 20:11 UTC