President Donald Trump’s decision to take $3.6 billion out of military construction projects approved by Congress last year to spend on a border wall has Ohio lawmakers worried that money earmarked for facilities across the state is now at risk.
WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) — President Donald Trump’s decision to take $3.6 billion out of military construction projects approved by Congress last year to spend on a border wall has Ohio lawmakers worried that money earmarked for facilities across the state is now at risk.
For example, Congress allocated $61 million in 2018 for the first installment of a $182 million building for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton.
It also approved $15 million to replace aircraft hangars at the 180th Fighter Wing at the Toledo Air National Guard Base as well as $8.8 million for base security at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and $7.4 million for a new machine gun range at Ravenna.
Now, presumably, unless a contractor has been hired, any or all of those projects could be delayed or canceled.
Rep. Mike Turner, R – Dayton, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he strongly believes that “securing our border should not be done at the expense of previously funded military construction projects.” He said it is “a dangerous precedent” for Trump to declare a national emergency “because Congress refuses to provide necessary funding to protect our country.”
“This is insanity,” said Rep. Tim Ryan, D – Niles, a member of the House Appropriations Committee’s military construction subcommittee.
