House Republicans Vote to Give Trump the Green Light to Divert Military Resources for his Border Wall
WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, on a party line vote, Republican Members of the House Armed Services Committee voted in unison to block an effort led by Rep. Ruben Gallego to prevent President Trump from implementing his proposal to divert defense resources to pay for a new wall on the southwest border. A similar amendment was approved by HASC last year.
"Trump's border wall is an enormous waste of money that won't make us any safer, especially at a time when unauthorized border crossings are at historic lows," said Rep. Gallego. "But even if you think America needs a wall, stealing from our troops isn't the way to get it funded. It's critical that we protect funding meant to combat real threats from being diverted to address dangers that exist only the President's imagination."
Working in tandem, Gallego, Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) were able to force a committee vote on the issue despite Republican procedural efforts to bury the Gallego amendment. Rep. Gallego intends to offer a similar measure when the National Defense Authorization Act moves to the House floor in two weeks.