“Once they start taking the money from specific Military Construction projects (which required the Emergency Declaration)...”
I wonder if some of those Military Construction funds could be used to build Military bases on the southern border? We really need our military on the border, and what better way then to build bases there?
“I wonder if some of those Military Construction funds could be used to build Military bases on the southern border?”
I believe that the Military Construction (MILCON) money under the Emergency Declaration could be spent to build bases, but next year they would likely not receive any money to operate, maintain or staff such bases from Congress. I do not believe that the Counter-Drug money from DoD could be used for bases (but border roads, lights and fences are specifically authorized for Counter-Drug spending).
It might be possible to build bases for Border Patrol out of MILCON, and have them accept ownership, and commit to the long term operation and maintenance. That is what they have agreed to for the 57 miles of barrier, roads, lights and alarms that DoD just funded.
Generally, anything enduring (multi-year) needs to be built into the baseline budget, so that all the associated costs are systematically projected and included. It is a big drill to detail all the expenses, across all the categories of the budget (personnel, procurement, operations, maintenance, construction).
Handing the barrier immediately to DHS makes it possible for DoD to act quickly in funding these large projects (same year) - otherwise, the supporting analysis and documentation itself would take more than a year.