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U.S. NEWS Friday 8 March 2019

Pentagon may tap military pay, pensions for border wall

By ANDREW TAYLOR and reject Trump’s move, and their meeting a week ago
LISA MASCARO the GOP-held Senate is like- that he would get back to
Associated Press ly to follow suit next week them with an update. But
WASHINGTON (AP) — The despite a White House lob- senators said they don’t yet
Pentagon is planning to tap bying push. have a response from the
$1 billion in leftover funds Senate Republicans met administration.
from military pay and pen- again Wednesday to sort “It’s a concern,” said Sen.
sion accounts to help Presi- through their options in John Cornyn, R-Texas. He
dent Donald Trump pay for hopes of making next said a number of senators
his long-sought border wall, week’s voting more po- have been talking to the
a top Senate Democrat litically palatable. They White House about other
said Thursday. are struggling to come up ways the administration
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told with an alternative to sim- could shuffle the money
The Associated Press, “It’s ply voting up or down on without relying on the au-
coming out of military pay the House measure as re- thority under the emer-
and pensions. $1 billion. In this Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, construction crews install new quired under a never-used gency declaration, which
That’s the plan.” border wall sections seen from Tijuana, Mexico. Senate procedure to reject is likely to become tied up
Durbin said the funds are Associated Press a presidential emergency in litigation.
available because Army that proposal — that for ous accounts into a fund declaration. Lawmakers in The pitch is, “Why have
recruitment is down and a whatever our project is, dedicated to drug interdic- both parties believe Trump this additional controversy
voluntary early military re- we’re going to cut military tion, with the money then is inappropriately infringing when it could be done in
tirement program is being pay and pensions.” slated to be redirected for on Congress’ power of the a less controversial way?”
underutilized. Durbin, the top Democrat border barriers and other purse. Senators are increas- he said. “Apparently, the
The development comes on the Appropriations pan- purposes. ingly uneasy ahead of vot- White House is not per-
as Pentagon officials are el for the Pentagon, was More attention has been ing next week because suaded.” The Army missed
seeking to minimize the among a bipartisan group paid to Trump’s declara- they don’t know exactly its recruiting goal this year,
amount of wall money that of lawmakers who met with tion of a national emergen- where the money to build falling short by about 6,500
would come from military Acting Defense Secretary cy to tap up to $3.6 billion the wall will come from soldiers, despite pouring an
construction projects that Patrick Shanahan on Thurs- from military construction and if it will postpone mili- extra $200 million into bo-
are so cherished by law- day morning. projects to pay for the wall. tary projects in their home nuses and approving some
makers. Durbin said, “Imag- The Pentagon is planning The Democratic-controlled states. Vice President Mike additional waivers for bad
ine the Democrats making to transfer money from vari- House voted last month to Pence told senators during conduct or health issues.q