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Pentagon Authorizes $1 Billion to Begin Border Wall Construction

Pentagon Authorizes $1 Billion to Begin Border Wall Construction

Senate Democrats immediately lashed out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaEIUWbc0Fg

President Donald Trump’s week continues to get better! The Pentagon notified Congress on Monday that it has authorized $1 billion to begin border wall construction.

The amount will cover 57 miles.

From Fox News:

The fencing, which will be 18 feet high, is to be erected in the Yuma and El Paso sectors, the statement read. The Pentagon’s announcement was notable. A reporter from the New York Times tweeted that it is the first time the funds will be transferred under section 284 for the border wall.

Section 284 allows the Pentagon to “construct roads and fences and to install lighting to block drug-smuggling corridors across international boundaries of the United States in support of counter-narcotic activities of Federal law enforcement agencies,” the statement read.

Last week, the Pentagon released a spreadsheet of projects that have more funds than needed, which could provide funding for a border wall since Congress only wanted to give Trump $1.4 billion.

Trump wants $3.6 billion.

Trump declared a national emergency at the border last month when Congress agreed only to give him $1.4 billion. Congress attempted to stop this declaration, but Trump vetoed their resolution. Congress more than likely does not have the votes to override the veto.

Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan stated “that the funds will be used to support the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol.” He notified Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen that his department “had the authority to support counter-narcotics activities near international boundaries.”

After Shanahan authorized the transfer of funds to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies criticized his move:

“We strongly object to both the substance of the funding transfer, and to the Department implementing the transfer without seeking the approval of the congressional defense committees and in violation of provisions in the defense appropriation itself,” the senators wrote in a letter to Shanahan, according to CNN. “As a result, we have serious concerns that the Department has allowed political interference and pet projects to come ahead of many near-term, critical readiness issues facing our military.”

Those who signed the letter include Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Dianne Feinstein of California, among others.

The Democrats can scream all they want, but Trump is well within his power to do this by using a “specific statutory authority that congress created for the president” in the National Emergencies Act. Trump’s declaration stated “that it is necessary to increase the use of military forces at the border and to invoke the emergency military construction authority in 10 U.S.C. § 2808, which will provide funding for the construction of border walls.”

This gives the Defense Department the ability to move around funds, even if those funds did not get allocated for a border wall:

(a) In the event of a declaration of war or the declaration by the President of a national emergency in accordance with the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) that requires use of the armed forces, the Secretary of Defense, without regard to any other provision of law, may undertake military construction projects, and may authorize the Secretaries of the military departments to undertake military construction projects, not otherwise authorized by law that are necessary to support such use of the armed forces. Such projects may be undertaken only within the total amount of funds that have been appropriated for military construction, including funds appropriated for family housing, that have not been obligated.

(b) When a decision is made to undertake military construction projects authorized by this section, the Secretary of Defense shall notify, in an electronic medium pursuant to section 480 of this title, the appropriate committees of Congress of the decision and of the estimated cost of the construction projects, including the cost of any real estate action pertaining to those construction projects.

I predict in the near future that the Pentagon will authorize more money for the wall.

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Comments

Close The Fed | March 26, 2019 at 9:23 am

These fences that are being built, the video as I recall Trump tweeted, are the see-through style with a rectangular plate at the top. These are imminently scalable. Congress has stopped him from employing any of the prototypes, which is CRIMINAL. We could have an effective wall, instead we’re getting the bargain basement, easily cut version.

Many people climb these things then fall off and have to be taken to the hospital. The prototypes prevent them from getting to the top of the wall to begin with. We are being screwed AGAIN.

I need more winning, and not this faux-winning.

Also, I have donated twice to the Brian Kolfage effort to build the wall. Maybe they will build the real McCoy.

If it’s being constructed under these emergency provisions, will further lethal defensive measures also be authorized, such as electrification, land mines, or other lethal or non-lethal support components? If they’re being built in a manner that allows penetration as described by Close the Fed, then it’s more useful as an animal trap than a people prevention device…

    Concise in reply to princepsCO. | March 26, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    Are you insane? Lethal or non-lethal support components? Put these thoughts back in your crazy bag and throw it away. You’ll be happier if you do.

      Gremlin1974 in reply to Concise. | March 26, 2019 at 12:25 pm

      Pfft, I want a double layer fence with a minefield and moat filled with Alligators with lasers on their frickin heads.

      Oh, and electrify the fence on both sides of the minefield.

      I would go into my idea of rentable border wall “deer stands”, but that would really blow your precious little skirt up.

      JusticeDelivered in reply to Concise. | March 26, 2019 at 1:37 pm

      Lethal always stops repeat offenders. If the are put down before they set a foot on our soil, then we have no further obligation to them.

Maybe Ann Coulter will now shut up. She’s gone off the rails.

    You can’t be serious. I saw last night she’s saying that she’d rather Trump conspire with the Russians, and her have a wall, than Trump not conspire with the Russians and her not have a wall. Her? Shut up?

      Fine. That’s what she’s saying now. She says all kinds of things but it always seems to be in mid-tantrum. She wants what she wants and she wants it now. Trump needs her energy on OUR side, not on HER side. It’s easy being on the sidelines having tantrums but it is not helping.

buckeyeminuteman | March 26, 2019 at 12:36 pm

How dare the Department of Defense do something like defend the borders of the United States. I thought their only mission is to occupy foreign lands in far-away places…

i still say the real solution is to dig a sea level canal, on the Mexican side of the border, with atomic demolitions… #ProblemSolved!

😎

    JusticeDelivered in reply to redc1c4. | March 26, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    The problem will only be solved if the nukes are cobalt laced. Alternatively, we could use a radioactive material with a longer half life, perhaps spent nuclear fuel rods?

As part of the wall the military should construct huge prison camps to hold the illegals while they wait for their trials.