US Defense Bill Draft Includes $3.6Bln to Replenish Funds for Border Needs - Senate Panel
The US Senate Armed Services Committee said in a press release on Thursday that it has approved a mark-up of the fiscal year 2020 defense spending bill, which includes a provision to provide $3.6 billion to replenish the Department of Defense for its support to address the immigration crisis on the United States' border with Mexico
"This legislation provides... $3.6 billion to replenish funds for military construction projects repurposed for the national emergency declared on the southern border," the release said.
An increasing number of migrants from Central America have been arriving to the US southern border in recent months, prompting US President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency in order to secure funds to build the border wall.
On Wednesday, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan approved a request by the Department of Homeland Security to provide assistance to help house the heavy flow of asylum-seeking migrants apprehended at the US-Mexico border.
Shanahan had previously told reporters that this would be the last request the Defense Department would approve.