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Pentagon sidelines 127 building projects to fund border wall

Posted at 7:00 AM, Sep 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-04 09:00:41-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — A total of 127 military construction projects are being sidelined by a Pentagon decision to shift $3.6 billion to build part of President Donald Trump's border wall.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper approved the transfer of funds on Tuesday. Officials say details about the projects losing their funding will be released after Congress is notified.

The Pentagon comptroller says the projects are being "deferred" and not cancelled, though there is no guarantee the funding will be restored by Congress.

The money is to be used to build 175 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Congress approved $1.375 billion for wall construction in this year's budget, same as the previous year but far less than the $5.7 billion that the White House sought.