Pentagon to begin diverting construction funds for border wall

[OfTheCross]

The Pentagon announced Tuesday it would begin diverting $3.6 billion in military construction funding for a wall along the U.S. southern border, even as court challenges continue.

The release of defense money makes good on President Donald Trump’s plan to fund a wall with money never approved by lawmakers for that purpose. Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year to tap military construction accounts and funnel the money to the border instead.

The money would be used to build 11 separate segments of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, defense officials told reporters at a briefing Tuesday evening. They said 127 military construction projects could be delayed, but not terminated, as a result. Half of the money would come from funding for overseas construction projects, and the other half would come from money set aside for domestic construction.

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In all, the 11 new barrier sections would stretch 175 miles. The Pentagon said the new projects would both reinforce already-built sections of the border wall and add entirely new construction with the goal of stemming illegal border crossings and funneling migrants toward official points of entry into the United States.

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Apparently this is going to end up in a legal battle. My apprehension about this isn't the construction of the wall, but declaring it an emergency and being able to do almost anything w/o our elected officials.

[truth_seeker]

Apparently this is going to end up in a legal battle. My apprehension about this isn't the construction of the wall, but declaring it an emergency and being able to do almost anything w/o our elected officials.

You don't view it as an emergency?

That puts you in synch with Ryan and Pelosi.

[Right_in_Virginia]

My apprehension about this isn't the construction of the wall, but declaring it an emergency and being able to do almost anything w/o our elected officials.

And you're wrong @OfTheCross

Respectfully, so wrong.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Apparently this is going to end up in a legal battle.

Supreme Court: Trump can use Pentagon funds for border wall
Military Times, Jul 28, 2019, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to tap billions of dollars in Pentagon funds to build sections of a border wall with Mexico.

The court’s five conservative justices gave the administration the green light on Friday to begin work on four contracts it has awarded using Defense Department money. Funding for the projects had been frozen by lower courts while a lawsuit over the money proceeded. The court’s four liberal justices wouldn’t have allowed construction to start.

The justices' decision to lift the freeze on the money allows President Donald Trump to make progress on a major 2016 campaign promise heading into his race for a second term. Trump tweeted after the announcement: "Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!"

The Supreme Court’s action reverses the decision of a trial court, which initially froze the funds in May, and an appeals court, which kept that freeze in place earlier this month. The freeze had prevented the government from tapping approximately $2.5 billion in Defense Department money to replace existing sections of barrier in Arizona, California and New Mexico with more robust fencing.


More: https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/07/28/supreme-court-trump-can-use-pentagon-funds-for-border-wall/

[OfTheCross]

Senate Democrats to try blocking Trump’s border wall diversion again

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer will announce that his caucus will force another floor vote to terminate President Donald Trump’s border security national emergency.

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A senior Senate Democratic aide confirmed the plan, first reported by the Washington Post, citing the ability to call a vote on a joint resolution of termination shortly after a national emergency is declared and then again every six months under the 1976 law.

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