No Federal Relief Funds to Build Abbott-Trump Wall
***Press Release***
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 28, 2021 | Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-494-4620 |
No Federal Relief Funds to Build Abbott-Trump Wall
Washington, D.C.– Ahead of President Trump's trip with Governor Abbott to Hidalgo County this week, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) led all Democratic members of the Texas delegation in an effort urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to protect the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds available for Texas under the American Rescue Plan—and ensure that Governor Abbott cannot nefariously divert recovery funds into his sideshow of building portions of Trump's ill-fated wall. Governor Abbott has directed that $250 million be taken from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a "down payment" for the wall and as of last Wednesday, he reported having raised only $459,000 in private donations for the wall.
"He has failed to raise enough money to construct more than a few yards. Just as he unsuccessfully tried to steal federal education money from our schools, Governor Abbott may try to divert federal recovery funds from Texans to educate voters that he's a mini-Trump on the wall," said Congressman Doggett. "With so many needs in Texas, spending for a useless wall is truly outrageous. With Abbott having already wasted millions on his pseudo-border security effort, we are determined to restrain him from robbing the recovery funds to misuse for this boondoggle."
"With no Republican support, we approved $350 billion in the American Rescue Plan for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to assist local leaders, who confronted pandemic challenges, and to assist with economic and job recovery," the members write in their letter. "We are concerned by the prospect of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's potential misuse of these funds to continue the misguided plans of President Trump to extend a wall along the border between Texas and Mexico."
"Given the clear statutory directive to use these funds to respond to the pandemic, there is no justification for the use of Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds to construct a border wall," the lawmakers continue. "There never has been and never will be a constructive purpose served by Trump's ideologically motivated, wasteful, destructive wall. We urge the Department of Treasury to make clear in the interim final rule that these Recovery Funds cannot be used for a border wall, fence, or similar installation."
The full letter is available here and below:
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