DeLauro Statement on President Trump Stealing Military Funds for Border Wall

WASHINGTON, DC — (February 13, 2020) Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement after President Trump diverted $3.83 billion dollars from the Department of Defense budget in order to build a southern border wall. Congress appropriated the money on a bipartisan basis last year for ships, F-35 fighter jets, the National Guard, and vehicles for the Army.

"President Trump's move to take money away from the military to pay for his border wall jeopardizes our national security and military readiness. Worse than that, the funding diversion hurts thousands of workers throughout Connecticut—especially those at Pratt and Whitney and other defense manufacturers in the supply chain who support the F-35. Those good-paying manufacturing jobs are the backbone of our workforce—providing people with a living wage to support themselves and their families. Those are the consequences for people in Connecticut, across the country, and our servicemembers across the globe. The President should be ashamed for playing politics with their lives."