House Republicans will take up a national security-focused spending bill next week that includes funds to begin construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The report said an aide of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) confirmed that Republican lawmakers plan to attach constructions funds for the border wall to a unified spending bill for the departments of Defense, Energy and Veterans Affairs.
The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved an appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security that allocates $1.57 billion for border security, including $498 million to build 28 miles of levee wall in the Rio Grande Valley, the Hill reported.
The proposed legislation also includes $784 million for 32 miles of new fencing along the Valley; $251 million for 14 miles of secondary fencing in San Diego, California; and funds for mobile video surveillance systems, ground sensors, towers and other border protection efforts.
In March, the Customs and Border Protection issued requests for proposals for the design and construction of border wall prototypes.
