
New Bill Will Allocate $1.6 Billion to Fund the Border Wall
As reported by the Hill: the House Appropriations Committee released a bill allocating $1.6 billion for construction of President Trump’s wall along the US southern border with Mexico.
The funding will not be enough to build the wall in its entirety, but it will lay the foundation, and fund physical barriers in key areas.
House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman John Carter had this to say:
More details are set to be released next week, including the location of precise location of the physical barriers.
President Trump seems happy with the bill:
Big WIN today for building the wall. It will secure the border & save lives. Now the full House & Senate must act! ➡️https://t.co/TTg7lvBdo2 pic.twitter.com/xhiknXko70
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017
And don’t worry, there are still lots of way that Mexico can pay for it.
The bill also dedicates a further $13.8 billion to customs and other border protections, including: $100 million to hire 500 more Border Patrol agents, $131 million for new border technology, $106 million for aircraft and sensors and $109 million for “non-intrusive inspection equipment.”
It also adds $619.7 million to Immigration and Customs Enforcement over current levels, bringing total funding for ICE to $7 billion.
This is a welcome first step. America needs a wall.