“$1.375 billion appropriated by Congress”
So, can I quote that amount to you-know-who? I still haven’t written my reply back to him yet.
“So, can I quote that amount to you-know-who?”
I’m sorry buddy, but I constantly restate my points so many times, I lose track of the specific disputes (that is, I don’t know who).
But here is a link to a HUD site, where they mention the border funding in the Omnibus Bill, that also fuded HUD: https://www.novoco.com/notes-from-novogradac/2019-omnibus-appropriations-provides-increases-hud-funding-less-border-barrier-funding
They say:”the Homeland Security section of the law provides $22.54 billion for border security, including $1.375 billion for construction of 55 miles of new physical barriers along the southwest border in U.S. Border Patrol’s highest priority areas. The barrier funding was notably less than the $5.7 billion the president wanted, and when signing the legislation, the president declared a national emergency to authorize the border wall funding.”
So Congress gave him $1.375 billion in FY19 funds for barrier building (55 specific miles). All the rest of the $8 billion total that he plans to spend this year on barrier, he is taking out of hide by re-programming other appropriations, as is within his authority.
$2.5 billion was announced to come from DoD Counter-Drug accounts, $600 million from Treasury Asset Forfeiture accounts, and (the only part requiring an Emergency Declaration) $3.5 billion from unobligated Military Construction Accounts.
Congress is scheduled to vote tomorrow (Tuesday, 26 March), to attempt to override the President’s veto. They are expected to fail, which will clear the way for the full $8 billion to be obligated onto contracts this year.