Washington, D.C.—Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) condemns the Trump Administration’s plan to reallocate $7.2 billion of appropriated 2020 Defense funds for border wall construction. Specifically, the Administration plans to divert $3.5 billion from military counterdrug programs and $3.7 billion in military construction projects.   

“We cannot allow the Administration to pull funding from critical military projects that meet our strategic military needs as well as support the well-being of our military members and their families,” said Congressman Cuellar. “As a member of the Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations, I worked hard to create a spending bill that ensures our military readiness. Reallocating $3.5 billion from our counternarcotic program and $3.7 billion from military construction will intensify the country’s opioid epidemic and hurt our ability to repair and rebuild our military.”

“Bottom line, the Administration’s decision will weaken our national security, hurt the quality of life of our military and their families, and undermine Congress’s Constitutional authority in determining spending priorities. I will continue to fight this diversion of funds and this ineffective, vastly expensive border wall.”

In the summer of 2019, the Trump Administration reprogrammed $3.6 billion of military constructions funds to build the border wall. This included a $357 million reallocation from projects at Joint Base San Antonio, such as constructing air traffic control towers, dormitories, and dining halls.

Since 2019, the Trump Administration has reallocated a total of $14.4 billion from military construction  and counterdrug programs for border fencing.

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