Texas congressional Republicans want to pump the brakes for funding a border wall as a government shutdown looms.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) questioned the concept of placing funding for the border wall into a continuing resolution when Democrats said they would not support such a deal, The Daily Caller reported.
“We’re not going to write a blank check,” McCaul said while speaking at Lone Star College. “And me working with the appropriators, we’re basically going to put conditions on it that better define how this thing is accomplished.”
McCaul expressed uncertainty whether a border wall is the answer and wants to wait and see if there are any additional costs before making any decision.
“We have 1,200 miles out of a 2,000-mile border, and I don’t think a 30-foot concrete wall is going to be the answer,” McCaul said.
McCaul’s colleague, Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), wants additional information before allocating funds for its construction. Hurd, along with Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), co-authored a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney voicing concerns over the border wall since their districts comprise 880 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.
“As representatives of the communities that make up the southern border, we recognize the need for robust border security,” they said in the letter. “We also have an obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and as such have a number of questions.”
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) said he does not believe President Trump is serious about the wall.
“When I hear the president talk about the wall I think he’s speaking metaphorically,” Cornyn said.
Breitbart Texas previously reported that House Speaker Paul Ryan signaled a concession that funding for the border wall would not be a part of the GOP budget.
Other Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) are more concerned about not offending Mexico than they are about keeping Americans safe
“There is a lot of anti-American sentiment in Mexico,” McCain previously said. “If the election were tomorrow in Mexico, you’d probably have a left-wing, anti-American president in Mexico. That can’t be good for America.”
Ryan Saavedra is a contributor for Breitbart Texas and can be found on Twitter at @RealSaavedra.
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