Dem rep to introduce bill to block use of federal funds for Trump’s border wall

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) plans to introduce legislation Thursday that would block President Trump from using federal funds to pay for his border wall with Mexico.

“I am not in favor of the wall, but if there is a wall, then I do not want the United States of America to pay for the wall,” Moore told CBS News, saying Trump’s campaign promise should not be a burden on American taxpayers.

The bill, named the No Taxpayer Funding for the Wall Act, reportedly has more than three dozen Democratic co-sponsors. Moore has noted that she is hoping to gain support from the many Republicans who are worried about counteracting the cost of the proposed border wall.

{mosads}“My bill gives amazing opportunities, I think, to people like Jim Jordan to opt out of building the wall,” she said, referring to the Republican lawmaker from Ohio. “I’m trying to mobilize some interest in my bill from deficit hawks.”

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) sent a letter in February urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to brief the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on how it plans to pay for the border wall by March 13.

“I request that DHS provide a briefing for the committee regarding DHS’ acquisition process and funding for this requirement,” McCaskill wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, also asking for a formal estimate of the wall’s cost.

According to a report by The Washington Post, the Trump administration is considering a plan that would slash funding to the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to find funding to pay for both the proposed border wall and other immigration enforcement plans. A White House spokesman told the Post that this plan is in its early stages.