Posted on 09/03/2019 3:27:43 PM PDT by BeauBo
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has authorized the use of $3.6 billion in military construction funds for 11 wall projects on the southern border with Mexico, according to defense officials and a letter from Esper to the Senate Armed Services Committee, which has been obtained by CNN.
In his letter, Esper told Congress he has "determined that 11 military construction projects along the international border with Mexico, with an estimated total cost of $3.6 billion, are necessary to support the use of the armed forces in connection with the national emergency."
The announcement fulfills a promise made by President Donald Trump in February to tap military construction funds to build his border wall. The move was slammed by Congress when it was first announced and only recently completed a Pentagon legal review.
Defense Department officials say 127 military construction projects are being put on hold in order to use the $3.6 billion to fund building 175 miles of southern border wall.
Construction is expected to begin in about 135 days according to Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller Elaine McCusker.
According to chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman, half the money is coming from deferred projects overseas, and the other half were planned for projects in the US.
Though it's unclear which military construction would be put on hold, the move could put at risk projects such as command and control, drone, cyber and training facilities in the US and overseas.
White House officials have held talks in the last weeks to begin planning for the move, two administration officials said, which would shift funds from the Department of Defense's military construction budget to fund the border wall.
The move would rely on Trump's February emergency declaration, which has faced stiff legal challenges.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Supreme Court will likely have to weigh in on this.
A few day ago you did not like the story that DoD was “poised” to do this.
Well they have pulled the trigger (first day after the Labor Day Weekend).
Now that the Summer break is over, I anticipate a series of actions hitting the fan, as politics are re-engaged - border wall, budget battle, IG report, God only knows what else.
Congress is back in town, and no man is safe.
They couldn’t spare anymore money than that?
My complaint is that “poised,” “intending” “mulling” “prepared to” are not NEWS.
This is news. Now, good deal that it came about. But reporting intentions is not reporting. It’s laziness. Reporting NEWS is reporting.
As for the IG report, if they couldn’t find one charge amongst the Awans, Deep Stroke, Pageboy, Brennanskie, and McCabre, I seriously doubt any further “tick tocks” will produce any charges against anyone.
“They couldn’t spare anymore money than that?”
Wait till you hear the squealing this will evoke.
Half ($1,8 billion) will be overseas, and half in the USA (i.e., in Congressional districts).
Congress could backfill this money in the next budget, and no project would miss a beat.
But Democrats have already pledged not to, out of spite, and to play politics with it.
“Trump’s border wall”
Nope. No bias there.
“As for the IG report”
Maybe it is just a little pile of trading chips, to make them buy their way out, by funding other priorities.
Didn’t Hillary raise over a billion to LOSE an election.
“he move could put at risk projects such as command and control, drone, cyber and training facilities in the US and overseas.”
I don’t recall CNN being worried about adequate funding for the military in the past. Amazing that they bring that concern up now.
Yes. So this 3.6$ billion will be maximized..
Now that the money is going to be spent, it will trigger the cause for lawsuits.
This money is the type that requires the President to declare an emergency to re-purpose for border wall, unlike the Military Counter-Narcotics money that the Supreme Court freed up in July.
Maybe your Zen Master has a thought on how this case might go?
“I don’t recall CNN being worried about adequate funding for the military in the past.”
Women, Children, Minorities and the Poor to be Hardest Hit...
These jokes (I mean headlines) just write themselves.
It’s CNN, so the whole article is biased, starting with the title that places an agency of the Executive with power over the Executive.
Department of Defense dough used to defend our international border. Wow. Who would have thunk it?
1000 miles of wall vs 100 gold toilet seats for the Pentagon General Staff.
For all intense and purposes, this is a WALL
for American Citizens who wish to feel safe in their own nation.
Therefore, it should be called The Promised WALL due all Americans.
My LORD, we've been waiting for YEARS to see this finally happen!
we should call the wall Kate’s Wall especially since the last charges were now dropped against the guy who murdered her
First District Judge Kneejerk of the Lower Podunk Valley, then the 9th Circus, then the fully empaneled 9th Circus, then SCOTUS.
Chooo Chooo!!!
the train is chugging down the rails... choo choo
Do you feeeel like daaancing? I do.
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