Trump Could Use Billions in Pentagon Funding for Border Wall

The National Interest ^ | 23 Sep 2019 | Jason Hopkins

[BeauBo]

The Trump administration is reportedly considering another plan to divert billions in dollars in military funding to pay for more border wall construction.

The White House is once again (FY 2020) looking to divert $3.6 billion in military funds to pay for more wall construction on the U.S.-Mexico border, according senior administration officials who spoke to the Washington Post...

If the administration does not get the $5 billion in wall funding it requested via the Department of Homeland Security budget, officials are reportedly ready to once again reallocate money from the Pentagon construction budget. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives remains adamantly opposed to providing additional border funding, leaving President Donald Trump unlikely to win congressional approval.

The White House already tapped $3.6 billion from the DoD earlier this month, and is currently using that money to build 175 miles of border wall.

Dipping into Pentagon funds allows Trump to circumvent a hostile Congress. If the administration moves forward with its plan, it will have reallocated a total of $7.2 billion for border wall contracts.

[BeauBo]

In 2018 and 2019, Congress appropriated just the $1.4 billion per year (that had been added into the 10 year baseline budget, when Paul Ryan was Speaker of the House). If they do the same this year (or even just run Continuing Resolutions, without passing new appropriation), the $3.6 billion, along with the $1.4 billion, would total to the $5 billion the Administration requested.

It is possible (likely) that hundreds of additional miles of barrier will be contracted with 2020 money before the election, in addition to 529 miles already funded.

The Administration clearly has the demonstrated ability to identify the required money, to keep the Program on schedule. I expect they have backup plans for for funding the wall in 2020, should the courts strike down this approach (not likely).

This whole approach might just be a way to make the funding politically acceptable for Democrats with a wink and a nod, so they never have to vote for it in public.

[GOPJ]

Maybe top military people should run over to the middle-east and ‘give’ speeches...

[faithhopecharity]

defense is defense and people, cities, countries have been building border walls or fences for thousands of years

trouble is, there are already so many Muslims from terrorist-sponsoring or funding countries... and Mexican drug gangsters.. already in USA

we need the improved border defenses....and we need to repatriate, expel all the dangerous or bad ones that are already inside USA

or else, we will just wind up barricading ourselves with the enemy already inside our fortress

[chief lee runamok]

"The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives remains adamantly opposed to providing additional border funding.."

Catch it and paint it red pelosi.

[shalom aleichem]

The Border Wall IS defense, dee-fence, the fence.

[Spktyr]

That does mean that the enemy can no longer escape, though.

[bigbob]

Oh man, that will get him on Double Secret Impeachment!

[faithhopecharity]

good point (tho I’d still prefer enemies OUTSIDE the gates than inside our communities)

if you speak Arabic you can get by really well at the rifle range nowadays