Pentagon pulls money from overseas projects to pay for border wall

[babylonsister]

Pentagon pulls money from overseas projects to pay for border wall
The move drew an angry response from Democrats, who say the administration is "trampling" on Congress' power of the purse.
By CONNOR O’BRIEN and DAVID ROGERS
04/28/2020 04:27 PM EDT


Defense Secretary Mark Esper is restoring more than half a billion dollars in funding for military construction projects in the U.S. that were put on hold to help fund President Donald Trump's border wall, and instead will take money from projects that are primarily overseas.

The move, which is laid out in a memo dated Monday and obtained by POLITICO, drew an angry response from Democrats, who say the administration is "trampling" on Congress' power of the purse.

Altogether, $545.5 million in previously withheld funds, all for projects in the U.S. with award dates in 2020, will be allowed to move forward.

"To enable the execution of certain projects scheduled for award in calendar year 2020, I direct you to release funding associated with 22 currently deferred projects within the United States totaling $545.526 million," Esper wrote in the memo to acting Pentagon Comptroller Elaine McCusker.

Esper removed 22 projects from the list of border-related deferrals, all of which have award dates in 2020. Of these, $160 million is for two projects at West Point, where Trump is slated to speak at commencement ceremonies. Another $62.6 million is for a middle school project at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is up for reelection in November.

To fill the hole left by restoring the $545.5 million, Esper proposes in his memo to substitute a new set of about 19 projects totaling an equal amount. Most of these projects are overseas and were funded by Congress from fiscal 2020 Overseas Contingency Operations appropriations outside the military base budget. The projects are in countries such as Germany, Japan, Norway, Spain and Jordan.

more...

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/28/pentagon-money-border-wall-216156

[Turbineguy]

1. Yeah

It was a better idea, so we stopped it to throw the money away on the wall.

[bluestarone]

2. Fucking tRUMP controls EVERYTHING

Why in the fuck do these assholes allow this shit?

[Submariner]

3. I want to see Biden order the cutting torches to cut the wall down

the moment trump is gone from the White House.

[keithbvadu2]

4. There is no legitimate reason for the American taxpayer to pay for Trump's wall.

There is no legitimate reason for the American taxpayer to pay for Trump's wall.

It is Mexico's obligation according to Trump... 100%

Trump and his GOP falsely blame democrats but the republicans had the power to pass Donald's $5billion in the Senate.

It was their choice to refuse to use that power.


He requested that Mitch McConnell use the nuclear option which would have allowed the Senate republicans to pass the $5billion plus that he wants. Mitch refused.

He had two years to get his republican majority Congress to do it under his leadership.

One of his foreign policy points is that other countries are taking advantage of America and we are overpaying. .

[Totally Tunsie]

5. What is going to become of this albatross once Chump is kicked out of our house?

Surely, Biden won't continue this expensive nonsense. At this point, we don't really even know how much of this monstrosity has been completed.

The only things the partially-constructed wall will be useful for are 1) a handball court; 2) tall billboards; and 3) large screen for showing drive-in movies.

If what exists isn't completely torn down, there needs to be a sign attached with the name "TRUMP'S FOLLY" prominently displayed, including the dollar amount - in billions - of what this mistake has cost the American public.