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As President Trump Prepares to Raid Military Construction Projects to Pay for His Border Wall, Rep. Kaptur Cosponsors Legislation to Immediately Terminate Trump’s National Emergency

February 22, 2019

$90,200,000 in military construction projects in Ohio at risk

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), the longest serving woman in the United States Congress and member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement after she cosponsored legislation to immediately terminate President Trump's national emergency concerning the southern border of the United States. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and currently has 222 cosponsors.

Last week, President Trump announced he would raid $3.5 billion in appropriated funds from the Department of Defense, funding which would otherwise go toward important military construction projects such as upgrading military hospitals, improving training facilities for troops, removing lead from military family housing, and making overseas bases more secure.

Military construction projects in Ohio are at risk, specifically Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's ADAL Intelligence Production Complex (NASIC) ($61,000,000), Camp Ravenna's Automated Multipurpose Machine Gun Range ($7,400,000), Youngstown Air Reserve Station's main gate relocation ($8,800,000), and upgrades to the Mansfield Lahm Airport fire station ($13,000,000). President Trump has yet to announce which military construction projects will be gutted.

"I'm not surprised President Trump would gut important military construction projects in order to circumvent Congress and build his ineffective border wall," said Rep. Kaptur. "Throughout his campaign for the Presidency, and during his time in office, President Trump has promised time and again that Mexico would pay for the wall. Before he rushes to fulfill an ill-advised campaign promise few think will even work, the President should answer the question of just how it is we went from Mexico paying for his monument to depriving our military of its operational priorities to fund it. At best, this careless action to divert funds will leave thousands of military men and women in the lurch, at worst our national security and readiness of our troops will be put at risk."

"Today, I am cosponsoring legislation that would immediately terminate this so-called national emergency. This entire political exercise by President Trump is not only a blatant attempt to ignore the Constitution and usurp Congress' power of the purse, it is also the latest example of President Trump's disregard for good advice and of regular disrespect for the day to day work of our armed forces."

"The states and Congress are correct to challenge President Trump in court regarding his fake national emergency. I am confident the judiciary will find that President Trump lacks the authority to divert funds for a wall because it is Congress that controls such spending."

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Issues:Energy