Congress warns Pentagon not to move money to fund Trump wall

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
Updated 2:52 pm CST, Wednesday, February 26, 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from both parties told Pentagon leaders on Wednesday that the Defense Department is undermining its own efforts to get military money by diverting billions of dollars for the construction of President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and the committee's top Republican warned Defense Secretary Mark Esper that overturning congressional funding decisions to shift money for the wall is an enormous problem that will have consequences.

The plan to shift money has triggered rare Republican opposition to one of Trump's priorities.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said the result may be that Congress will place greater restrictions on the Pentagon's ability to move money around to meet military needs. The chairman, Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, said the money transfer is “very, very damaging to the Pentagon.”






Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/article/Congress-warns-Pentagon-not-to-move-money-to-fund-15085893.php

[Kurt V.]

1. what a joke. they aren't going to do anything about it. After decades of giving them money,

Sometimes not even requested, the pentagon has more political power than congress.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Suddenly one RepubliCON is "Congress"? No. . . . nt

[yaesu]

3. Oh, I'm sure the pentaGods are gong to listen to Congress. nt

[cstanleytech]

4. One of the consequences is that money shifted to the wall that was earmarked for other projects

should not be replaced and that includes any budget increase requests as I suspect they would pad the numbers to try and get the money.

[sdfernando]

5. The $$ that was diverted should not be replaced...

and the overall budget should be reduced by that total amount that was diverted. This will cause them to lose 2x that amount....and put in the next budget that any $$ diverted henceforth will cause a penalty of 10x the amount.

[riversedge]

6. agree. Trump just thinks--oh well, if the Pent asks for it --Congress will give it to them.