[ad_1]
In February, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to spend billions of dollars on building walls. As part of his announcement, he recommended the use of anti-drug funds to partially fund the construction of new walls. In the context of the national emergency, other funds may also be allocated to the construction of the wall and associated infrastructure, including military construction funds.
Monday's announcement was only the first billion dollars that the administration makes available for full funding. The administration has previously announced plans to transfer an additional $ 1.5 billion in the future.
These initial counter-drug funds will go from the Department of Homeland Security to the Corps of Engineers of the Army to begin construction.
A Pentagon budget reprogramming notification sent Monday to Capitol Hill and obtained by CNN indicates that $ 1 billion will go towards building 57 km of fences, improving roads and others measures at the southern border.
Senate Democrats immediately opposed the transfer of money for the construction of fences along the southern border to block drug trafficking.
Each Democratic Senator from the sub-committees of the Senate Committee on Credits on Military and Military Construction, Veterans and Related Organizations signed a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who objected to it. that $ 1 billion is being allocated to staff to counter the funds for drugs. Senators say the Pentagon has not asked for permission before notifying the transfer committee.
"We strongly oppose the substance of the transfer of funds and the implementation of the transfer by the department without seeking the approval of the congressional defense committees and in violation of the provisions of the defense credit itself" , wrote the senators. "Therefore, we are seriously concerned that the ministry has allowed political interference and exciting plans before many of the critical short-term readiness issues our military faces."
The letter was signed by Sens. Patrick Leahy, Vermont Democrat; Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois; Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island; Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii; Jon Tester, Montana Democrat; Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington; Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat; Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat; Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat; and Tom Udall, Democrat of New Mexico.
[ad_2]
Source link