A House spending bill has set aside $5 billion to build President Trump’s proposed border wall, including 200 miles of new physical barriers and technology.
The House Homeland Security appropriations bill for 2019, which was released Wednesday, significantly exceeds the Senate’s version, which allocated $1.6 billion and did not include any new physical barrier.
“This bill takes the largest steps in years toward finally fulfilling our promise to the American people to secure the border,” said Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.).
{mosads}“We add funding for more than 200 miles of physical barrier, hundreds of new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and state of the art technology that will give our law enforcement agencies the tools they need to keep us safe,” he added.
While the White House only requested the $1.6 billion figure included in the Senate bill, Trump has expressed frustration at that level of funding, and demanded a higher amount be allocated.
The president made the border wall a central campaign promise, and said that Mexico would pay for its construction.
The subject of funding the wall is expected to be a central flashpoint in the fights over 2019 spending. Trump threatened to veto a spending bill or funding extension that does not fund the wall.
That could lead to a government shutdown when the current funding expires after Sept. 30.
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