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Congressman Cox blasts president's plan to divert Navy construction money to help fund border wall
The decision to declare a national crisis comes after Congress refused to give him the $5.7 billion he demanded for a border wall – a structure he initially told the nation Mexico would fund. In response, Congress is geared to pass a resolution – having already passed the House – which would block the president’s emergency declaration, a move that may result in a presidential veto. Trump says that declaring a national emergency could allow the administration to proceed with plans to access various pots of money, including 2019 Department of Defense funds mandated for military construction projects.
2019 Department of the Navy Construction Projects
One of those military projects – slated for this coming year – hits close to home – at Naval Air Station Lemoore – where the Navy wants to build new hangars for its new F-35 fighter jet. The Navy has budgeted an approximately $113 million outlay this year for the long-standing air station.
According to just the Department of the Navy construction totals, nearly $2.3 billion has been set aside for new facilities or construction in 2019 in 11 states and at least six countries.
Recently-elected Congressman TJ Cox, who represents Kings County and the Naval Air Station, blasted Trump’s plan to raid the defense department’s military construction budget and threaten future projects at the local navy base. “This emergency declaration threatens our nation’s security by robbing critical Department of Defense funding from military projects, including close to $113 million in construction funds from the Naval Air Station in Lemoore,” said Cox. “It’s simply unacceptable to have military families in CA-21 and throughout our nation suffer from this unlawful and dangerous action.
“I’m proud to have joined Democrats and Republicans in the House in upholding the Constitution and defending our system of checks and balances. American families deserve leaders who will fight to defend our national security, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this resolution.”
Other military installations are also on the chopping block. There are $661,000,000 worth of construction projects slated for the coming year – just in California. The money comes from the Navy’s portion of the Department of Defense Military Construction Budget, and according to news reports, Trump will attempt to access a part of that military construction money.
To access this money, the president must declare a national emergency. Hence the expected veto should the Congress pass a resolution forbidding the emergency declaration.
The White House has indicated it did not yet know which military construction projects might be canceled, or delayed, by the move. However, NAS Lemoore is the homeport for all Pacific Fleet Light Attack squadrons and replacement squadrons.
Navy personnel are currently transitioning to the F-35.
According to news sources, additional funding for Trump’s wall could come from a variety of sources. In addition to $3.6 billion from the defense department, the president could take funds from Homeland Security, $600 million from the Treasury Department’s Drug Forfeiture Fund, and $2.5 billion from a Department of Defense Drug Interdiction Program.
The White House has not disclosed which projects with which it intends to move forward.
However, the president’s plan to raid department budgets may not survive a constitutional test. Several organizations, individuals and states have already submitted federal lawsuits designed to prevent the president from accessing the funds.
