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The Pentagon is shifting hundreds of millions of dollars to backfill projects previously deferred to pay for a southwest border wall.
The latest reprogramming moves takes funding away from 19 military construction projects, many of which were set for Europe as part of the Pentagon’s Russian deterrence operations.
In all, more than $500 million will be shifted within the Defense Department’s construction budget, according to a memo obtained by numerous news outlets. The move is meant to replenish some of the funding taken by an earlier round of reprogramming which took $3.6 billion from 127 military construction projects, including several Guard projects.
Another round of reprogramming earlier this year relied more heavily on Guard funding, taking more than $1 billion from Guard modernization funds, such as the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account and funds meant to upgrade Humvees. That reprogramming announcement included $3.8 billion in funds diverted from existing projects, with the Guard carrying largest share of the loss.
The reprogramming efforts have been opposed by Democrats and some Republicans, who have argued that funding should come from another source.
Democrats in the House have recently unveiled a bill that would set penalties aimed at curbing future diverting of funds appropriated by Congress. The Congressional Power of the Purse Act (H.R. 6628) was introduced as a result of the reprogramming efforts, according to Politico.
Democratic leaders have criticized the efforts as an abuse of the budget and appropriations law and an effort to further the president’s personal interests and policy goals.
Among other things, the legislation would place an expiration date on national emergency declarations, require congressional approval for the administration to rescind federal funding and force the federal government to make public and decisions to slow or withhold federal funds.
