Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved an additional $1.5 billion to build 80 more miles of President Trump's border wall. #BREAKING #Border @ActingSecDef Pat Shanahan confirms he is transferring $1.5 billion in Pentagon funds for the border wall, including funds Pentagon was saving for #Afghanistan. But then tells me "I won't be reprogramming any more money for the border wall." — Carla Babb (@CarlaBabbVOA) May 10, 2019 Department of Homeland Security officials, both current and former ones like President Obama's DHS Chief Jeh Johnson, insist there is a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. There were over 100,000 apprehensions in April alone, the highest monthly total since 2007. At a recent hearing, Shanahan said the Pentagon has sufficient funds to build at least 256 miles of the wall. Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan: soon building 256 miles of border wall, 1/2 mile per day https://t.co/a5i36cQxlR pic.twitter.com/LiGdhxudcD — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 8, 2019 This post has been updated with additional information.<doc-sep>Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan Patrick Michael ShanahanSenators introducing bill to penalize Pentagon for failed audits Overnight Defense: National Guard boosts DC presence ahead of inauguration | Lawmakers demand probes into troops' role in Capitol riot | Financial disclosures released for Biden Pentagon nominee Biden Pentagon pick could make up to .7M from leaving Raytheon MORE has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion from Pentagon coffers — including more than $600 million from an Afghan security forces account — to build more than 120 miles of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a Pentagon statement released Friday. "Today we reprogrammed $1.5 billion toward the construction of more than 120 miles of border barrier without impacting readiness," Shanahan said in a statement. "The funds were culled from a variety of sources, to include unexecuted prior year funds, the suspension of reimbursements to Pakistan, and costs reductions in a series of contracts.” ADVERTISEMENT The statement adds that the Defense Department "is fully engaged on the crisis along our southwest border," with more than 4,000 service members and 19 aircraft there supporting the Department of Homeland Services. Reuters reported that the transfer would include $604 million from Afghan security forces accounts, with the rest coming from Air Force programs, a chemical demilitarization program, a retirement account and military dollars for Pakistan. An unnamed U.S. official told the news service that $4.9 billion was appropriated for the security forces for fiscal 2019, and that money was taken from the account as savings in contracts were found. Following news of the transfer, every Democratic member of the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies slammed the decision in a letter to Shanahan. The lawmakers worry that the latest reprogramming will come at the expense of the military's readiness. “Once again, the Department of Defense has ignored decades of precedent and cooperation with the Congress in carrying out a transfer of funds without regard to any consultation with the Appropriations Committee,” they wrote. “We are dismayed that the Department has chosen to prioritize a political campaign promise over the disaster relief needs of our service members, given the finite reprogramming authority available.” The letter was signed by Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph LeahyHouse narrowly approves .9B Capitol security bill after 'squad' drama Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate This week: House to vote on Jan. 6 Capitol attack commission MORE (Vt.), Dick Durbin Dick DurbinSenate GOP to make infrastructure counteroffer Thursday Filibuster fight looms over Jan. 6 commission Bipartisan infrastructure talks on life support MORE (Ill.), Jack Reed Jack ReedAir Force secretary nominee: Gillibrand has 'some persuasive arguments' on military justice overhaul Democratic feud erupts over scope of military sexual assault bill Overnight Defense: Austin, Bidens thank National Guard as Capitol mission ends | CBO estimates nuclear arsenal to cost 4B over 10 years | Senate Armed Services chairman backs change in prosecuting military sexual assault MORE (R.I.), Brian Schatz Brian Emanuel SchatzFilibuster fight looms over Jan. 6 commission Biden signs order directing studies of climate-related financial risks Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate MORE (Hawaii), Tom Udall Tom UdallStudy: Chemical used in paint thinners caused more deaths than EPA identified Oregon senator takes center stage in Democratic filibuster debate Bipartisan bill seeks to raise fees for public lands drilling MORE (N.M.), Patty Murray Patricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayRivers, hydropower and climate resilience Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate Biden's pre-K plan is a bipartisan opportunity to serve the nation's children MORE (Wash.), Chris Murphy Christopher (Chris) Scott MurphyThe Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Chris Cuomo says advising brother was a 'mistake' Sanders push to block arms sale to Israel doomed in Senate Biden's quiet diplomacy under pressure as Israel-Hamas fighting intensifies MORE (Conn.), Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne BaldwinTo reverse the teaching shortage in low-income communities, give educators incentive to stay Senate Democrats offer bill to scrap tax break for investment managers Senate Democrats push Biden over raising refugee cap MORE (Wis.), Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinConcerns over growing ties between UAE and China could impact sale of F-35s: report Rep. Malinowski traded as much as M in medical, tech stocks with stake in COVID-19 response Bottom line MORE (Calif.) and Jon Tester Jonathan (Jon) TesterOvernight Defense: Groups use Afghanistan withdrawal to push for defense budget cuts | Confederate renaming effort could affect 'hundreds' of military assets | Progressives see 'historic' moment to shift US-Israel relations Groups urge Congress to use Afghanistan withdrawal to cut defense budget Are cranky Democrats an electoral risk? MORE (Mont. ). The United States is in the midst of peace talks with the Taliban to negotiate an end to the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan, but forces are struggling to maintain territory against the militant group as talks drag on. “It is not reflective of anything related to our commitment ... It took less money to meet the policy commitment than we thought,” a second U.S. official told Reuters. The transfer comes after the Department of Defense in March moved nearly $1 billion from counter-drug funding to pay for President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE’s border wall. In addition, Trump in February reprogrammed $3.6 billion in military construction funds for the wall as part of his national emergency declaration. Shanahan told lawmakers on Wednesday that the Army Corps of Engineers is currently on contract to build about 256 miles of barrier. “How you will see this materialize in the next six months is about 63 new miles of wall will come online, so about half a mile a day will be produced,” Shanahan said during a Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing. He also noted that there are now about 4,364 U.S. service members at the border, a mix of active-duty and National Guard members. The administration plans to pull a total of $6.1 billion from Pentagon accounts for border barriers, including $2.5 billion from counter-drug programs and $3.6 billion from military construction funds. The reallocation of the funds has angered some lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who have threatened to bar the Pentagon from transferring money in the future. Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, wrote on Twitter prior to the announcement that the Pentagon “has now reprogrammed 12 times more money to the wall than for repairs at Tyndall [Air Force Base], destroyed by Hurricane Michael. We should put troops first!” The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced a bill that would prohibit using military construction funds on a border wall. The prohibition, included in the fiscal 2020 military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill, would prohibit funds from the 2015 through 2020 fiscal years from being “obligated, expended or used to design, construct, or carry out a project to construct a wall, barrier, fence, or road” along the U.S. southern border. Pentagon spokesperson Tom Crosson later said in a statement that the Defense Department had notified lawmakers that Shanahan, "after reviewing recommendations from his staff, and the Joint Staff, has agreed to undertake fence replacement on four additional projects in and around Tucson, AZ, and El Centro, TX, totaling 78.25 miles." And House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith David (Adam) Adam SmithOvernight Defense: Air Force nominee threads needle on F-35's future | Senate panel advances historic Army secretary pick Air Force secretary nominee threads needle on future of F-35 program Push to combat sexual assault in military reaches turning point MORE (D-Wash.) told Shanahan during a panel hearing in March that the Pentagon would likely lose the reprogramming authority if it moved forward with the $1 billion funding transfer. The Pentagon has yet to use military construction dollars on the wall, though it has already drawn up contracts to be paid by the $1 billion from the counter-drug accounts. —Updated at 4:28 p.m.<doc-sep>
The Pentagon has approved a plan to spend an additional $1.5 billion to build 80 more miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a U.S. defense official confirmed to Fox News Friday. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan approved the re-allocation of funds, which were originally earmarked for support of Afghan security forces and other projects, to help pay for the wall along the southern border. TRUMP TO NOMINATE PATRICK M. SHANAHAN AS DEFENSE SECRETARY, WHITE HOUSE SAYS "Today, I authorized the transfer of $1.5 billion toward the construction of more than 80 miles of border barrier," he said. "The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes, and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness." In March, Shanahan approved the first transfer of Defense Department dollars and redirected $1 billion to help build nearly 60 miles of wall in Yuma, Ariz. and El Paso, Texas. The combined total of $2.5 billion is in response to President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the border. But the plan to divert Pentagon funding has sparked criticism from congressional Democrats, who accused Shanahan of not seeking approval to “reprogram” the funds without congressional authority. Shanahan and other senior defense officials claimed in response they did not have to get permission from Congress despite the objections from Democratic lawmakers. OVER 100K ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS APPREHENDED OR TURNED AWAY IN APRIL, CBP REVEALS Shanahan, who has said he plans to visit the border on Saturday, said that the Pentagon is “fully engaged” in fixing the border crisis. He said that more than 4,000 troops and 19 aircraft are supporting Customs and Border Protection personnel. The funds are being reprogrammed from the Afghan Security Forces Fund, a project focused on chemical weapons, Air Force programs, savings related to a military retirement system, and coalition support funds. The Pentagon is also expected, at some point, to transfer up to $3.6 billion from military construction budgets to pay for wall construction, but details of those plans have yet to be announced. The move comes after White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday that the president would officially nominate Shanahan to be the next U.S. secretary of defense. The decision to have Shanahan permanently lead the department “is based upon his outstanding service to the country and his demonstrated ability to lead.” "Acting Secretary Shanahan has proven over the last several months that he is beyond qualified to lead the Department of Defense, and he will continue to do so," Sanders said in a statement Thursday. Shanahan said he was “honored” by Trump’s decision. “If confirmed by the Senate, I will continue the aggressive implementation of our National Defense Strategy," he said. "I remain committed to modernizing the force so our remarkable Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines have everything they need to keep our military lethal and our country safe.” Fox News’ Liz Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.