Rand Paul says ‘at least’ 10 GOP senators are ready to vote against Trump’s emergency declaration

Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) said Monday that “at least” ten of his fellow GOP senators are prepared to vote for a resolution blocking President Trump’s emergency declaration at the southern border.

“By my count, I’ve had at least 10 people coming up to me saying they will vote to disapprove on this,” Pauls told reporters, referring to GOP colleagues.

{mosads}The comments came just days after Paul became the fourth GOP senator to announce he’d vote against Trump’s emergency declaration to fund a border wall. Paul’s announcement clinched a bipartisan majority in favor of blocking Trump’s declaration. 

“I can’t vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress. 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 said while speaking at the Southern Kentucky Lincoln Day Dinner, according to the Bowling Green Daily News.

GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) have also said they would vote for the resolution. 

Trump declared an emergency last month after Congress passed a spending bill without the $5.7 billion he had demanded for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But the executive action has been met with opposition from several Republican lawmakers. 

Thirteen Republican lawmakers joined with House Democrats to vote in favor of a resolution blocking the emergency last week. The upper chamber is set to vote on the measure before the body leaves on March 15 for a weeklong recess.

Trump has vowed to veto any resolution blocking his emergency declaration.

Alexander Bolton contributed to this report.