By opposing the resolution, Paul said he wasn't trying to stymie Trump's border-security ambitions; rather, he was solely seeking to protect the American system of "checks and balances" and avoid setting a dangerous precedent - a common refrain among Republicans who oppose the national emergency.
"I can’t vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress," Paul said in a speech during the Southern Kentucky Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, the Bowling Green Daily Newsreported on its website.
“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."
