Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett expresses disappointment in the president's plan to take money from important projects in the Virgin Islands and across the United States to pay for his ineffective border wall

Statement

Today Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper notified her that the President will reprogram $3.6 billion in funding intended for military construction projects for our troops to build a border wall:

"News that the Administration will be diverting $3.6 billion from the Pentagon's coffers to shore up the funding for his border wall is troubling. Taking these funds, which have been duly allocated by Congress, will ultimately affect the completion of numerous crucial projects across America, including the Virgin Islands. We are aware of approximately 3 maintenance projects in the Virgin Islands National Guard that will be impacted by the President's decision. My office has informed Adjutant General Kodjo Knox-Limbacker regarding the projects in the Virgin Islands that are impacted.

"It is disheartening to the members of the Armed Forces to have a Commander In Chief who is willing to raid already allocated military funding for a wall he promised Mexico would pay to build. The president is trying to usurp Congress's exclusive power of the purse and loot vital funds from our military. Depleting the Defense Department of much needed funds is an affront to our service members and when Congress returns next week from recess we will strongly oppose any funds for new wall construction."

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