This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
Published on September 5, 2019, the Pentagon's decision to divert funds from military construction projects to build the border wall has sparked a heated debate over government funding and defense policy.
President Trump has expressed his support for the move, stating that it's a national security problem. 'He feels it's a national security problem,' Mr. Trump added. 'I do, too.'
However, not everyone agrees with the President's stance. Utah Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, both Republicans, have expressed concerns that Congress has ceded too much power to the executive branch. 'Funding the border wall is an important priority, and the executive branch should use the appropriate channels in Congress, rather than divert already appropriated funding away from military construction projects and therefore undermining military readiness,' Mr. Romney said.
Democrats, on the other hand, have been scathing in their objections. 'This is a subversion of the will of the American people and their representatives,' said Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader. 'It is an attack on our military and its effectiveness to keep Americans safe.'
The timing of the cuts is likely to intensify the looming debate over how to fund the government and set defense policy. The Senate and the House will have to reconcile their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense policy bill, once Congress returns from its August recess.
