Shaheen Responds to New DOD List that Targets PNSY Priorities as Projects that Could Lose Funding to Pay for Trump’s Border Wall

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to a new list compiled by the Department of Defense (DOD) that examines military construction projects that could lose funding specifically appropriated by Congress to pay for President Trump’s border wall. The list includes four projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). Last week, the Senate passed a House resolution on a bipartisan basis that would have terminated the President’s “emergency” declaration. President Trump vetoed the resolution on Friday. 

The projects listed by DOD at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard include a $62 million Paint, Blast and Rubber facility, a $12 million warehouse, $110 million for the Dry Dock #1 Superflood Basin and $40 million for an Extend Portal Crane Rail. 

“Raiding Shipyard funding to build the President’s border wall would confirm New Hampshire’s worst fears about this unconstitutional declaration,” said Shaheen. “These projects are vitally important to the Shipyard’s mission, to jobs in the region, and, in the case of one of these projects, has been planned for years. This list further underscores why Congress acted on a bipartisan basis last week to block President Trump’s so-called ‘emergency’ declaration. While I appreciate the support from a number of Republicans in the Senate in standing up for the Constitution and funding set aside for our military, more Republicans must join the effort to stop this declaration. I will continue to do everything in my power to protect funding for the Shipyard and defend New Hampshire’s role in our national security.” 

Senator Shaheen spoke in favor of the resolution to terminate the President’s emergency declaration on the Senate floor last week ahead of the vote in the Senate.  

Senator Shaheen recently led a New Hampshire Congressional Delegation letter to the President, urging him to reconsider this plan which could have an adverse impact on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) and the New Hampshire National Guard (NHNG). Shaheen also introduced a bipartisan joint resolution with Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to block the President’s national emergency declaration and uphold the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution, similar to the resolution that passed Congress.