original_query: What is the National Emergencies Act and how was it misapplied in this case?
query: What is the National Emergencies Act and how did President Trump misapply it when declaring a national emergency at the Southern border in 2019?
answer: The National Emergencies Act allows the president to declare a national emergency, granting certain powers.  Trump's misapplication involved circumventing Congress's refusal to fund his border wall by diverting funds already allocated for other purposes (military construction, drug interdiction, etc.). This was unprecedented, as previous emergency declarations did not involve circumventing Congress's spending decisions.