FIRST ON FOX: A leading Republican senator is introducing a bill to block the federal government from disposing of border wall materials, as the controversy surrounding the auction of border wall components returns to the headlines.
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) announced federal funding to “dismantle, dismantle, or otherwise disable portions of the physical barrier along the border between the United States and Mexico.” A bill has been proposed to ban the use of
The bill also provides for “auctioning, selling, transferring, or otherwise disposing of materials and supplies purchased or otherwise obtained by the federal government for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, or strengthening physical barriers along the country’s national borders.” The plan is to prohibit the use of funds for the purpose of ”
‘Stand by to help’: Red states reveal plans to buy border wall material to be kept for Trump at auction
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on March 7, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The bill comes in the wake of the ongoing controversy over the Biden administration’s auction of border wall materials.
The Biden administration abruptly halted construction of 450 miles of border wall in January 2021, which had been built during the first Trump administration.
Auctions for parts of the border wall began in 2023, with parts listed and sold on GovPlanet.com, an online auction marketplace. The Pentagon’s Logistics Directorate told media that surplus supplies were turned over for disposal by the Army Corps of Engineers and put up for sale.
These auctions continue, and Arizona officials told FOX News Digital that they have been occurring weekly for some time. The practice continued last week, despite the possibility that it could be used by the incoming Trump administration, after the Daily Wire published a video showing unused wall parts being transported by flatbed truck in Arizona. It became a hot topic.
This enraged President-elect Trump, who called the move “almost criminal” and called on President Biden to “stop selling the wall.”
President Trump calls for border wall auction ‘almost a criminal act’
Sen. Bill Hagerty (Senate Republican Conference) tours the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on February 19, 2024.
The president-elect also said he is working with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Texas leaders to reacquire the materials.
“What they’re doing is really an act, almost a criminal act,” he said. “They know we’re going to use it, and they know that if we don’t have it, we’re going to have to rebuild it. And that cost is Because it’s double what it cost a few years ago, which is hundreds of millions of dollars.” You’re talking about a lot of walls. ”
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Defense officials told Fox News last week that the Pentagon is disposing of surplus wall construction under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024. The law requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a plan to use, transfer, or donate all remaining purchased wall materials. With Pentagon funding. The plan was submitted in March.
The official said border states, including Texas, have priority when it comes to the materials, that the materials no longer belong to the U.S. government, and that the Department of Defense has no legal obligation to recall the materials or stop further resale. He added that he had no authority.
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“Through our reuse, transfer, and donation process, nearly 60% of these materials were transferred to authorized recipients, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the states of Texas and California,” officials said. Ta. “The remaining 40% was sold to GovPlanet under a competitive sales agreement process beginning in June 2024. The material currently being sold through GovPlanet’s online auctions no longer belongs to the U.S. Government and is does not have the legal authority to recall the material or to cease further sale of the material or to resell material that is no longer in its possession. ”
Hagerty’s bill would supersede existing laws, including the NDAA. His office maintains that the NDAA provisions are intended to expedite border wall construction.
FOX News’ Jennifer Griffin and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Adam Shaw is a political reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.
Contact him at adam.shaw2@fox.com or at: Twitter.
