Lawmakers want clarity on source of wall funding

WASHINGTON — A dozen Pennsylvania lawmakers are seeking clarity from the Trump administration on which state projects might be in jeopardy under the president’s plan to divert military construction funds to border wall construction.

“Like many of our constituents, we seek clarity on the [Defense Department’s] intent and are concerned that the department has not yet shared with Congress or the public a list of projects at risk of being defunded,” the lawmakers wrote to acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan.

The letter was signed by all nine of the state’s Democratic House members as well as Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and one Republican — Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County.

The House Committee on Appropriations previously provided a list of $15.6 billion in projects nationwide that the administration could choose from to come up with the $3.6 billion in funding President Donald Trump has said he would reallocate.

That list included $93 million in construction for the 911th Airlift Wing in Moon. Officials on the base, however, say that work is well underway and therefore not in jeopardy. The work is related to the 911th mission change from supporting C130 planes to supporting larger C-17s.

But lawmakers want to hear that directly from Mr. Shanahan. In their letter, they asked for his assurances about the 911th and expressed concerns about whether funds might be shifted from a $71 million naval submarine support project in Philadelphia or an $8 million project to replace a training facility and dining hall at Fort Indiantown Gap near Harrisburg.

Lawmakers also are asking Mr. Shanahan for an accounting of backlogged projects and future military construction projects planned for Pennsylvania.

The Defense press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The 12 lawmakers called the funding shift ill-advised. They said it will have serious consequences for military readiness and local economies, and that it circumvents the will of Congress, creating a dangerous precedent.

All of them voted Tuesday to block the emergency declaration that Mr. Trump invoked to justify the funding shift.

The declaration also is the subject of a court challenge brought by 16 state attorneys general. Pennsylvania is not among them, but Attorney General Josh Shapiro has said he “will not hesitate to take legal action” if the emergency declaration causes the state to lose funding.