A group of Republicans in the House are attempting to block a Democrat-led provision that would prevent Defense funding from being used to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The provision is being included in the National Defense Authorization Act, which has been submitted to the House Rules Committee.
Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) is leading the efforts to block the amendment. He is being joined by Reps. Doug LaMalfa (Calif.), John Joyce (Pa.), Barry Loudermilk (Ga.), Steven Palazzo (Miss.), Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.), Jody Hice (Ga.), Dan Meuser (Pa.), Rick Crawford (Ark.), Ron Wright (Texas), Glenn Grothman (Wis.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Mark Meadows (N.C.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Duncan Hunter (Calif.), and Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.).
{mosads}While the Department of Defense hasn’t used Pentagon funds for wall construction, it has shifted $2.5 billion from different accounts into an account for counter-drug efforts intended to be used for the wall.
Proponents of the amendment blasted Democrats for including it in the legislation, saying that it’s politicizing what could have been a bipartisan bill.
“Democrats would rather corner Republicans into opposing this measure than to work with the President to resolve the situation at the southern border. Section 1046 is anything but bipartisan, and it is meant to stymie President Trump’s attempts to secure our border and protect innocent Americans,” Biggs said in a statement.
“Some of my Democrat colleagues previously supported funding for border wall construction, yet they now oppose their existence. The president is correct to use any lawful means to build the wall – especially when Congress abdicates its responsibility.”
The amendment faces an uphill battle in the Democrat-controlled House, with the House Armed Services Committee having previously shot down similar amendments during its markup earlier this month.
Democrats have argued using Defense dollars for the wall would be a misallocation of funds.
“This money should not come out of the Department of Defense as, by the way, a lot of my Republican colleagues said when this first came up,” said Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the chairman of the Armed Service Committee, in the panel’s markup.