February 25, 2019

National Emergency Over Border Wall Could Hit Local Military Bases

The president wants to use military construction money to pay for parts of the border wall.

McSally Sinema dip Martha McSally, left, and Kyrsten Sinema.
Gage Skidmore via Flickr

President Donald Trump's declared national emergency to fund construction of a border wall includes using construction money from the Department of Defense. That plan could hit four projects on Arizona bases.

Luke Air Force Base west of Phoenix could see two construction projects related to the F-35 put on hold if the President sticks to his funding plan. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson and the Camp Navajo National Guard facility in Coconino County would also have projects put off.

The prospect of losing military funding to construct a border barrier has some in the resident's party concerned.

"I'm going to continue to go to the mat to fight to make sure that our military and our military bases here in Arizona are funded and not impacted, and I'm gonna make sure that doesn't happen," said Republican Sen. Martha McSally during a stop in Tucson.

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona's other senator, said the military should not be pitted against border security.

"I think the best way for us to protect the funding for our important military installations and their upcoming projects is for Congress to reclaim and do its job, which is to appropriate the dollars that are needed to actually ensure border security in our community," Sinema told Arizona Public Media.

McSally echoed her fellow Arizona senator.

The president's emergency declaration was challenged in court almost as quickly as he signed it.

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