Senator demands project list for $900 million in MILCON funds slated for reconciliation
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Summary
Senators pressed the Pentagon to provide a project-level accounting for $900 million in military construction funding the administration proposed to place in a reconciliation bill, warning that moving MILCON into reconciliation would reduce congressional oversight.
Senators asked the department to provide specifics about a $900,000,000 portion of military construction funding the administration proposed to include in a reconciliation measure, warning that reconciling MILCON outside the regular appropriations process would limit congressional oversight.
Ranking Member Ossoff said moving MILCON into reconciliation would "circumvent the appropriations process," calling $900,000,000 in reconciliation funds "not MILCON appropriations, it's a slush fund." He said he is concerned the administration might use the money to build migrant detention facilities on DOD lands and asked for a detailed accounting of how the funds would be used.
Assistant Secretary Marks said he would "attempt to do that" and provide the committee with a project-by-project list where possible. Secretary-level testimony earlier in the hearing described the reconciliation package as including defensive systems, munitions procurement, readiness and quality-of-life programs, but did not identify a project-level allotment for the $900,000,000.
Why it matters: Shifting funding into reconciliation could change how MILCON is authorized and oversight is exercised. Senators pressed for transparency and a specific project list to assess the intended use of the funds.
Provenance: Ossoff's remarks and the department's responses occur in the opening statements and subsequent Q&A (see transcript spans beginning at 00:24:09 and Q&A on reconciliation around 00:54:48).