House panel votes to block military construction money from going toward border wall
Appropriations Committee also passes measure to allow 'Dreamers' to work on Capitol Hill
By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times - Updated: 3:46 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2019
House Democrats staked out several positions on immigration through the appropriations process on Thursday, advancing spending bills through the appropriations committee that would block President Trump from tapping military construction funds for his desired U.S.-Mexico border wall and pave the way for “Dreamers†to work on Capitol Hill.
Democrats included language in a bill that funds military construction and veterans programs for 2020 that blocks any use of military construction funds from 2015-2020 from going toward border wall construction.
“Whether we agree or disagree on the need for a wall or whether there is or is not a crisis at the border, I hope this committee can agree that funds for the wall should not be stolen from previously approved vital military construction projects that are to a dollar, a higher priority than any wall,†said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida Democrat.
The president declared a national emergency on the southern border earlier this year, and the White House said the move allows him to tap about $3.6 billion in military construction money to go toward the wall. House Democrats have sued to try to block the effort.
Both Mr. Trump and the GOP-led Senate are sure to object to the language in the bill, which the committee passed on a near-party-line, 31-21 vote.
more
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/9/house-panel-votes-block-military-construction-mone/
