Congress recently vetoed President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the US/Mexico border.  During an appearance in Sigourney last Thursday (3/21), Iowa US Senator Chuck Grassley said the 12 Senate Republicans who vetoed the President’s declaration had concerns that a Democratic President could play the national emergency card to force legislation favored by their party.  Grassley says he disagrees with those Republicans and says they’re blaming President Trump.

“Go back to the 1976 law that gives him the authority to do it (declare a national emergency).  That’s legislative power that’s been given to the President.  We’ve done that too much.  We’ve got to review that 1976 law.  Maybe there’s some reason for  some delegation of authority, but I think it’s been too broad and there needs to be conditions put on the delegation of authority.”

Grassley also points to a 1962 trade law that allows a President to put on tariffs without the approval of Congress.  Grassley says there are three bills in the Senate Finance Committee that will deal with that law.