||| Walter Arce | Dreamstime.com |||
Reports from the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives state that the President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has expressed to GOP leaders that Trump has intentions of funding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border through the appropriations process as early as April.
It’s no surprise since the President-elect made it clear throughout the campaign period that he was going to curb the illegal immigration menace from Mexico by constructing a wall. Mr. Trump also made it clear that Mexico was going to cater for the cost. However, the President-elect began deviating from that promise in October when he made it clear that the U.S. would cater for the construction cost, but Mexico would still reimburse the U.S. for the cost incurred.
The President-elect’s transition team insists that they are capable of constructing the border wall. However, the funds are a critical issue worth considering in the pursuit of this worthwhile goal. In a statement made by a senior House GOP source, Trump officials have communicated their intent to utilize funding bills to pay for the construction.
“It was not done in the Obama administration, so by funding the authorization that’s already happened a decade ago, we could start the process of meeting Mr. Trump’s campaign pledge to secure the border,” said Indiana Republican Rep. Luke Messer on Thursday. He added that it’s “big dollars, but it’s a question of priorities.”
“Democrats may well find themselves in the position to shut down all of government to stop the buildout of a wall, or of a barrier, or of a fence,” Messer said, referring to the April 28 deadline Congress has to pass a spending bill that keeps the government running.
The Secure Fence Act was voted in 2006 by the Democratic leaders and Senators Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, and Hillary Clinton. The bill was meant to secure the border, this begs the question as to why the Democrats should not vote for it again.
In a statement made by Steve Scalise who is the Louisiana Rep, he insisted that GOP leadership was co-operating with Trump on the crucial issue. However, he declined to clarify whether Congress would force taxpayers to fund the wall.
“We want President Trump to have all the tools he needs to build the wall,” Scalise said. “We’re in talks with him on the details of it as they’re still putting together their team. We still got a few months before there’s another funding bill that’s going to move. We’re going to work with him to make sure we can get it done. We want to build a wall. He wants to build a wall,” he said.
