Schumer Strongly Condemns Trump Administration Taking Money From Important Military Construction Projects In New York, Across The United States, And Around The World To Pay For Ineffective Border Wall

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today released the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper notified Congressional leaders that the Pentagon will reprogram $3.6 billion in funding intended for military construction projects for our troops to build President Trump’s border wall. Schumer said that the lost funding would delay critical construction projects at military installations in New York, such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Schumer said the Trump administration’s decision to reprogram these funds is a “slap in the face” to America’s service members.:

“Earlier today Defense Secretary Mark Esper notified me that the Department of Defense will reprogram $3.6 billion in funds appropriated for military construction and maintenance, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in order to build the president’s misguided border wall. This decision will harm already planned, important projects intended to support our service members at military installations in New York, across the United States, and around the world.

“It is a slap in the face to the members of the Armed Forces who serve our country that President Trump is willing to cannibalize already allocated military funding to boost his own ego and for a wall he promised Mexico would pay to build. The president is trying to usurp Congress’s exclusive power of the purse and loot vital funds from our military. Robbing the Defense Department of much- needed funds is an affront to our service members and Congress will strongly oppose any funds for new wall construction.”

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