Senate Votes to End Emergency Border Wall Funding

The U.S. Senate voted 54-41 Wednesday to end President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency and stop the diversion of military funds to pay for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, setting up another veto showdown.

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However, Trump vetoed that vote and the House was unable to override him. He is expected to issue another veto of Wednesday’s vote.

Wednesday’s vote follows a report released by the Pentagon earlier this month that detailed a significant number of projects scheduled for the chopping block in light of the administration’s decision to divert $3.6 billion in defense spending for the border wall.

{snip} The Pentagon reported that the cuts would impact a total of 43 projects spread over 23 states, 21 projects spanning three U.S. territories, and 63 projects abroad.

Among the most costly projects the administration proposed cutting in favor of wall funding were two elementary schools. One school was set to be based at Camp McTureous in Japan and was expected to cost $95 million. Another school at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany was expected to cost $79 million. Storage facilities in Germany and the United Kingdom – costing a cumulative $206 million – were also nixed.

Money for military bases ravaged by intense hurricanes and flooding in recent years is also slated to be cut in favor of border wall funding. {snip}

Roughly $400 million flagged for Puerto Rico – which was utterly devastated by Hurricane Maria just a year ago – is also on the chopping block.

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