click to enlarge Rich McFadden (U.S. Air Force photo)
New construction at San Antonio military facilities such as Randolph Air Force Base could be jeopardized by the Trump Administration's emergency declaration, experts warn.
There's now a price tag for how much local military spending is in jeopardy thanks to President Trump's emergency declaration.
A new
list supplied by the Defense Department lists the military construction projects whose funds could be slashed to help fund the president's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Add those up, and it looks like $76.7 million in projects at Joint Base San Antonio are now potentially on the chopping block. Another $188 million in construction is in jeopardy at bases in other parts of the state.
At JBSA, the potentially mothballed projects include:
- Air Force basic military training classrooms and dining facility — $38 million
- An air traffic control tower for Kelly Field — $10 million
- A new dining facility at Camp Bullis — $18.5 million
- A Department of Defense-wide energy aerospace operations facility — $10.2 million
- A vehicle maintenance shop at Camp Bullis — $13.6 million
“These projects are critical to the security of our nation and the well-being of our men and women in uniform and their families,” U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said in a press statement. “After failing to convince the Government of Mexico or U.S. Congress to pay for his ineffective wall, the President is trying to bypass constitutional authority and undermine the training, readiness, and quality of life of our military and their families in Texas.”
Cuellar, whose district includes San Antonio,
last month warned local officials of the potential cuts. The City of San Antonio's military affairs director
also cautioned that emergency declaration could jeopardize future training work at Joint Base San Antonio.
Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.