ICYMI: Brown Slams Trump Admin. for Proposing to Cancel, Delay or Reduce Ohio Military Projects in Order to Pay for President Trump’s Wall

Trump Admin. Issues List of Military Projects that Could be Canceled, Delayed or Significantly Reduced in Order to Pay For Border Wall; Wright-Patterson, Mansfield, Toledo, Camp Ravenna, and Youngstown Listed

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown slammed the Trump Administration after Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan released a list of military construction projects that are currently at risk of either being significantly reduced, delayed or canceled altogether in order to reallocate $3.6 billion to pay for President Trump’s border wall. Those on the list include: the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Camp Ravenna, Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, and Toledo’s 180th Fighter Wing. Brown has opposed President Trump’s efforts to go around Congress in order to build his ineffective border wall all along. Last week, the House and Senate publicly rebuked the President and voted to terminate his national emergency through a resolution of disapproval.

“The President’s decision to go around Congress and take funding away from our military to support his vanity project is reckless and irresponsible,” said Brown. “I have always fought to support Ohio’s military construction projects. Last year, key investments were allocated for the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, Toledo 180th Fighter Wing, Youngstown Air Reserve Station, and Camp Ravenna – and after last week’s bipartisan rebuke by Congress, I hope the President would realize that any attempt to rob Ohio of these funds would be met with vehement opposition.”

Last year, Brown worked with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to secure key investments for Ohio’s military installations, including:

  • $61 million for Wright-Patt’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), as well as $6.8 million for a fire rescue station at Wright-Patt;
  • $7.4 million to construct an automated multipurpose machine gun range at Camp Ravenna’s Joint Military Training Center;
  • $8.8 million for upgrades to ensure Youngstown Air Reserve Station’s (YARS) main gate meets safety requirements;
  • $13 million to replace the fire station at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base; and
  • $15 million for hangar updates at Toledo’s 180th Fighter Wing.