Article snippet: WASHINGTON — President Trump will declare a national emergency to bypass Congress and build his long-promised wall along the nation’s southwestern border, the White House said Thursday, even as he agreed to sign a spending package that does not finance it. The announcement came just minutes before the Senate voted 83-16 to advance the spending package, which was later passed by the House, 300-128. In effect it ended a two-month war of attrition that closed much of the federal government for 35 days and threatened a second shutdown on Friday. But if he declares a national emergency to access billions of dollars for his wall, Trump could instigate a constitutional clash over who controls the federal purse and test the bounds of presidential authority in a time of divided government. Democrats and some Republicans instantly condemned the move, with some vowing to challenge it through legislation and lawsuits. “President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action — including a national emergency — to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border,” said Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said Democrats were “reviewing our options” in responding to Trump’s anticipated declaration and did not rule out a legal challenge. “The president is doing an end run around Congress,” she said. She also raised the possibi... Link to the full article to read more