Biden is wasting taxpayer money and destroying this country just to send a message to Trump.
According to Fox, the Biden administration is reportedly engaged in selling valuable border wall materials worth millions of dollars, racing against Republicans who are pushing for legislation to complete the wall’s construction. In Arizona, steel “square structural tubes” originally meant for the border wall were recently put up for sale on the online auction platform Gov Planet, managed by the Canadian company Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. These 28-foot-tall hollow beams, which were designated as excess materials by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and handed over to the Department of Defense’s logistics agency (DLA) for disposal, are now available for purchase.
According to reliable sources like The Daily Upside and the New York Post, Gov Planet, specializing in military surplus, has successfully sold 81 lots of these beams, generating around $2 million in revenue. The beams, designed for the border wall’s 30-foot-tall panels as vertical bollards, were sold in five different lots, averaging around $212 per beam. This translated to a total of $154,200 from the sale of 729 beams. Additional auctions for 13 more square structural tubes are scheduled for August 23 and 30, as stated on the Gov Planet website.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mentioned that the disposal of the surplus border wall materials is in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Already, approximately $154 million worth of the total $260 million worth of bollard panels and other materials have been transferred in accordance with standard procedures for disposing of excess property. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to act on decisions regarding the remaining materials.
Former President Donald Trump invested $15 billion in erecting 450 miles of barriers along the southern border, with an additional 250 miles under construction when his term ended. Upon taking office, President Biden halted the taxpayer-funded project, criticizing it as a misallocation of resources that diverts attention from more significant threats to national security.
In contrast, Congressional Republicans highlighted that the Department of Defense had been spending $47 million annually, or $130,000 per day, to store leftover border wall panels in the Southwest United States. In response, Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the FINISH IT Act in May. This legislation aims to require the federal government to utilize previously purchased but unused border wall panels to extend the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border or transfer them to state governments for wall construction, particularly in states like Texas.
According to reports, the Gov Planet auction activity picked up in May following the introduction of the FINISH IT Act by Senator Wicker. The momentum continued when the Democratic-led Senate passed the annual defense appropriations package, which included the Republican-sponsored bill to restart border wall construction. Observers have noted that the Biden administration seems to be expediting the sale of leftover border wall components before corresponding legislation can be passed in the Republican-led House.
The decision to sell these border wall materials has been met with criticism from Republican lawmakers. Senator Roger Wicker deemed it a wasteful and questionable choice, emphasizing that it reflects poorly on the Biden administration. Senator Tom Cotton, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated that the administration’s actions prioritize short-term financial gains over national security, particularly concerning potential threats posed by open borders.
In summary, the Biden administration is reportedly selling off excess border wall materials, prompting a response from Republicans who are striving to pass legislation for continued construction. The sale has sparked debates over national security priorities and resource allocation, with criticism coming from various Republican lawmakers.