Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement on President Trump’s plan to divert funding from Department of Defense (DoD) programs to pay for his ill-conceived border wall. Last year, Kuster joined the New Hampshire delegation in advocating against the use of funds for the New Hampshire National Guard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for construction of the President’s border wall.  

“President Trump is once again putting his personal political interests ahead of the men and women who serve our nation in uniform,” said Kuster. “By diverting these funds, the President is jeopardizing our military readiness and threatening our national security all for his own political gain. A wall is an expensive and impractical response to the complex challenges at our southern border, which is why Republicans and Democrats have come together to advance funding to deploy 21^st Century technology and real solutions at our border. The American people should see President Trump’s action for what it is – a blatant effort to bolster his own political interests ahead of the election at the expense of our military.”

Kuster has been vocal about her opposition to the President’s proposals to take money away from the military and critical drug apprehension efforts to build an unnecessary wall. She has also emphasized the need to invest in security at Ports of Entry where nearly 90% of illegal narcotics cross the border. Kuster helped to pass the INTERDICT Act, which ensures that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the new screening devices, laboratory equipment, facilities, and personnel they need to detect and intercept fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

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