GOP complains about plans to transfer military funds to border wall

The GOP's concerns are bubbling over the plans of the administration to divert billions of dollars in military construction funds as part of President TrumpDonald John TrumpDem representative: "I look forward to Hannity's testimony, Julian Castro says that his brother is weighing all his weight." Biden: Trump has "done the right thing away from the North Korean deal.the national emergency declaration of.

As part of an effort to raise about $ 8 billion for the construction of the US-Mexico border wall, the administration will allocate $ 3.6 billion initially earmarked for military construction projects across the country.

Trump's decision triggered a bipartisan reaction on Capitol Hill, where Republicans openly fear that the president is blurring the separation of powers and is attempting to overturn Congressional government funding decisions.

GOP Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsOn The Money: Waters wants a closer look at Trump's finances | IRS says average refund up 1.3 percent | Senators Propose to Resolve Trump's Border Emergency Lockup at Night: Trump Lies in Korea Negotiations | Trump receives praise for negotiating talks | Backlash for Kim's defense on Otto Warmbier | Senators propose to resolve the blocking of the emergency declaration Energy overnight: the Senate proposes an alternative to the Green New Deal | Six Republicans named to the climate table of the house | Wheeler confirmed to lead EPA MORE (Maine) asked reporters to "keep in mind the irony" of the president deciding to withhold money from military construction projects that were part of his previous budget requests.

"Military leaders came before us and pleaded for each of these projects as vital to our national security. It seems to me very improvident and detrimental to our national security … that this money be used for other purposes, "she said. I said.

Sen. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar Alexander The Insurance Group Urges Congress to Reinforce ObamaCare Senator's GoP Grants: Trump's Emergency Statement Creates a "Constitutional Crisis" Nightly Health Care: l & # 39; Medicare for all grows concern at Dems Center | New call to repair markets ObamaCare | House panel plans hearings on reducing health costs | CDC worries HIV prevention is "stalled" (R-Tenn.), In a speech on the ground, also urged Trump to rethink his emergency statement and redistribute more money on the Pentagon's anti-drug accounts than on military construction.

"The use of funds already approved by Congress avoids taking money in military construction projects specifically approved by Congress for activities such as barracks and military hospitals," he said. he declares.

Senators say they do not know where the administration will redistribute the money and whether the projects in their home country will be, at least temporarily, suspended. The limbo status comes as the Senate is about to vote a resolution this month that would block Trump 's emergency declaration.

Trump threatened to veto the resolution, potentially creating a conflict between the president and his party.

"I think it's clear that people want to see the final documentation and want to know the specific statutory foundation," Sen said. John KennedyJohn Neely KennedyMORE (R-La.), Who should support Trump.

To adopt the resolution blocking the declaration, Democrats should overthrow four Republican senators. So far, three of them said that they would support the resolution and several members of different caucus factions remain undecided and have expressed concerns about the actions of the administration.

Asked how they were going to vote on the resolution of disapproval, both Senses. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold JohnsonWhite House pleads with the Senate GOP on the White House emergency statement, GOP defends Trump's emergency statement A GOP senator said that Republicans did not control the Senate then that they held the majority SUITE (R-Wis.) And James LankfordJames Paul LankfordWhip List: Where the Republicans stand on the emergency statement vote Harris on electoral security: "Russia can not hack a piece of paper" GOP proposes a modification of the rules to speed up the confirmation of Trump candidates AFTER (R-Okla.) Withdrew, noting that they had not yet seen a detailed list of where the White House plans to divert funds.

Republicans have expressed concerns about the operation of military construction accounts, as well as the overall legal strategy of the administration, during a lunch in camera with Vice President Pence. and DOJ officials this week.

"It was the feeling generally expressed. That we want to see what comes out, "Sen said. John CornynJohn CornynJulian Castro says his brother is weighing on the Senate offer, Beto O 'Rourke is about to announce his candidacy for the presidential election: report that the GOP legislator has announced that he' s going to the polls. a panel would investigate the game of the patent system by a pharmaceutical company PLUS (R-Texas), asks if Republicans need to know the details of funding for military construction before the Senate vote.

However, the administration is trying to dispel lawmakers' concerns by noting that the funds could be "used" in the next round of appropriations, with congressional approval.

Several Republican senators came out of the lunch behind closed doors, claiming that the government was pledging to request reconstruction of military construction accounts as part of the 2020 fiscal year funding bills, which must be adopted by 1 October at the latest.

Chairman of Senate Credits Committee Richard ShelbyRichard Craig ShelbyWhite House argues with the Senate government about the emergency declaration. Pence meets with Senegalese government for "in-depth" discussion on Trump's statement. (R-Ala.) Stated that he had stood up during lunch and had told his colleagues that one of the "highest priorities" would be to replace any funding from military construction projects .

Robert McMahon, Assistant Secretary of Defense, separately told legislators in the House that no authorized military construction project had been canceled due to the emergency declaration.

"Although some may be deferred, the budget request will include a request for funds to replenish these accounts," he said at a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee.

He added that to protect the military readiness, the Pentagon will seek to delay projects that "pose minimal or no risk for the state of operational readiness when they are postponed", as well as those that should be awarded during the last six months of the fiscal year, and "recapitalization projects existing facilities may be temporarily deferred for a period of several months."

Pentagon officials have not yet informed lawmakers of the projects they expect to be impacted. McMahon added that they were still waiting to hear how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would spend the defense funds. The Department of Defense is identifying what military construction funds could be moved and which projects would be delayed.

The White House announced that with an emergency declaration, Trump would revamp $ 2.5 billion of the Pentagon's detox programs. However, defense officials estimate that less than $ 80 million could be used to meet the needs of this fund.

Sen. Tom UdallThomas (Tom) Stewart UdallOn The Money: Waters Calls for Further Review of Trump's Finances | IRS says average refund up 1.3 percent | Senators Propose to Resolve Trump's Border Emergency Lockup at Night: Trump Lies in Korea Negotiations | Trump receives praise for negotiating talks | Backlash for Kim's defense on Otto Warmbier | Senators Propose Resolution to Block Emergency Declaration Senators Unveil Resolution to Block Trump's Emergency Statement (DN.M.) argued that the funding gap meant that if the president wanted to reach $ 8 billion for the border wall between the United States and Mexico, this could lead to a loss of resources in the military construction .

"We should be prepared to raid other accounts or even take more military construction funds. These are military-building funds that Congress has already earmarked for specific projects needed to support the priorities of US national security, "he said.

Udall added that this national emergency could jeopardize funding even in the Red States, where Senators will likely oppose attempts to block Trump's statement. He pointed out that $ 210 million worth of military construction projects could be threatened in Florida, $ 520 million in Texas and $ 81 million in Utah "and the list goes on and on."

To replenish this money under the fiscal year 2020 funding bills, the administration would need the Democrats to agree to include extra money to offset Trump's emergency declaration.

Shelby predicted that they would eventually join the plan, even though they opposed the emergency declaration.

"I hope they will, because it affects national security," he said. "And that could affect their districts."

– Ellen Mitchell contributed.