Lawmakers want money diverted for border wall returned to military projects
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Some lawmakers are not pleased with the military construction projects that will be put on hold to divert money to build the wall on the southern border.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, is among those lawmakers who support a resolution to end President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration and demand that the money be spent on the projects for which Congress intended.
Kaine said the president is violating the constitutional separation of powers that gives Congress control of spending. He said the Trump administration is raiding defense funds to build his border wall.
“I’m just shocked that a commander-in-chief who told the American public that Mexico would pay for the wall has decided military families are paying for it instead,” Kaine said.
Kaine said he supports a resolution to prevent the president from redirecting the $3.6 billion. He said the diversions not only go beyond the president’s power, it puts national security at risk.
The president disagrees.
“We need the wall for purposes of national security. The military is behind it all the way,” Trump said. “Any project that they may delay a little bit, it’s only a delay. They’ll get built. But the wall is something that we need.”
Earlier this year, lawmakers voted to block a different order diverting money to the border wall, but the president vetoed that bill.
By law, members of Congress can push for a vote to end emergency declarations every six months. Kaine said Democrats aren’t giving up.
“I hope my colleagues, especially Republican colleagues, will stand up and say you cannot raid money from our military families to support your foolish project,” Kaine said.
So far U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is the only Republican to back the plan.
Trump said he’s moving forward.
“The wall is going up as we speak,” Trump said. “About 500 miles is what we need, and we’re going to be very close to that by the end of next year.”
Kaine said a vote on the current resolution on military dollars and the border wall is expected in a few weeks.