WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), joined Republican members of the committee in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to request termination of all border wall construction material sales. The letter follows reports the Department of Defense aimed to quickly dispose of the parts before provisions of the FINISH IT Act could be implemented.
The FINISH IT Act, which was included in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed the Senate with a broad bipartisan majority.
“We are deeply disappointed to learn that rather than using construction materials that were purchased to secure the southwest border for that purpose, the Department of Defense has begun auctioning these materials off for other purposes,” wrote the senators. “These auctions represent a brazen attempt to circumvent the FINISH IT Act, which was included in both the House and Senate FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The FINISH IT Act requires the Department to use these construction materials to secure the southwest border as originally intended, or to transfer them to border states for that purpose.”
“Please be advised that Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans will not consent to a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy until this letter is answered appropriately,” concluded the senators.
Joining Senator Cramer are U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
Click here to read the full letter.