“We’re still looking at 738 miles total. When are they going to start growing that pre-construction
number?”
That would require more money.
The 738 miles is the current Program of Record. The money for those miles has been transferred into the accounts of the Army Corps of Engineers for contracting, dedicated to this Program.
An additional $3.6 Billion from the FY2020 Military Construction (MILCON) Budget has been discussed, but was not formally transferred. It still might be at some point, but it would have to be under the authority of the Presidential Emergency Declaration (like the other $3.6 Billion of the previous year’s FY2019 MILCON was), and it would have to be painfully pulled from other approved Military Construction Projects. There are also still legal challenges working through the courts, over this Emergency diversion of MILCON money.
If the rest of the MILCON money (FY20) is diverted to the Wall, the total Program mileage would go to about 885.
I am thinking that there was a lot of wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes, to get the already diverted FY 2019 MILCON backfilled by Congress. It may be (seems to be) that the Congress agreed to backfill those Projects that got raided for funds, if the Administration would hold off on the 2020 diversion.
Those last ~147 miles (the difference between 738 and 885) would be the lowest on the priority list, so they make the least difference in controlling the border. Meanwhile, the new Technology Programs now rolling out are proving to be effective in controlling border areas that lack barrier, so the operational effects of delay are further mitigated by the many layers of powerful new technology, already surging to the Border.
There is about $1.4 billion per year now in the baseline budget for additional barrier - so that is roughly enough to build out those last 147 miles over two years, instead of in just one year from diverting the MILCON. Not really a showstopper, but it would protect dozens of Military Construction Projects.
Quite possibly, any deals are just through the election, and new calculations will be made once the election results are known.
Things are in flux, but I’d guess that 738 miles Total will hold through the election.
Thanks for the mention.
I agree with your conclusion.
Look, all of this is said appreciating very much what hss
already been done, and in the works. We wouldn’t have
had any of it without Trump.
738 is clearly a great start.