photo credit: Evan El-Amin // Shutterstock
It looks like President Donald Trump will be taking money from military bases to build his border wall between the US and Mexico, about $3.3 billion to be exact. About $400 million of that could be coming from our bases right here in the ENC. There are about $12.9 billion worth of construction projects the Department of Defense has yet to fund. A list of these projects and money the Trump administration wants to take from them, was sent to Congress from the Pentagon.
Here in Eastern Carolina, Camp Lejeune has more than $180 million in projects on the list, including $65.7 million to build a replacement base sewage plant at Hadnot Point and $58.7 million to construct new medical and dental clinics on base.
At Cherry Point Air Station, nearly $154 million is listed, including $23.3 million for airfield security improvements, $60 million for a new maintenance hangar, and $15.7 million for an F-35B test facility.
New River Air Station has $32.5 on the list, which would be used to build replacements for medical and dental clinics.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base’s total was $49.5 million, which includes $17.1 million for a new air traffic control tower, and $20 million to build a tanker truck delivery system on base.
The Pentagon has not said which of the hundreds of projects on the list would be cut or delayed to build the wall, but Congress has been vocal about their opposition to Trump’s national security declaration. But their vote against Trump was vetoed quickly last week.
Written by Clarke Jones
Source: WITN