CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill to divert millions of dollars from the state’s budget surplus to help President Donald Trump build a wall along the southern U.S. border will be introduced by delegates in the West Virginia House.
Delegates Carl “Robbie” Martin, R-Upshur; Patrick Martin, R-Lewis; and Caleb Hanna, R-Webster, announced Tuesday the bill would take $10 million from the state’s current nearly $200 million surplus for the wall.
In a released statement, Carl Martin said, “West Virginians support our President and the wall. They’re sick of seeing Washington politicians sit on their hands while drugs and criminals pour over our border. It’s time for the states to stand up and do what they can to support our President in his fight to protect innocent Americans.”
The official announcement came Tuesday morning on “Fox and Friends” when Hanna appeared on the show.
“I believe in President Trump and the wall,” he said. “For me, this is no different than sending our National Guard to the border or overseas to protect U.S. interests. We, as a state, have resources available to help make America more secure, and I believe West Virginians would want those resources used to make us more safe.”
In the release, the delegates said one of the most pressing issues facing West Virginia right now is the rampant drug problem – a problem fueled in large part by the trafficking of highly potent, illicit drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We have been in contact with multiple law enforcement officers and judges about the drug epidemic, and every single one has told us 90 percent of the drugs coming to our state are coming in from Mexico,” Delegate Carl Martin said.
“This is about our children and our future, and we must do everything in our power to protect them,” Delegate Patrick Martin said in the release. “Since the D.C. liberals won’t act on this, we will. And I hope West Virginia serves as an example to other states that it’s time to stand up against inaction in Washington and band together to do what’s right.”
The bill is currently in its draft stage by the delegates but they expect to formally introduce it in the Legislature in the coming days.