A new bill proposed by Republican Tennessee Rep. Diane Black suggests creating a public donation account where ordinary Americans can contribute money to build President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall.
Fox News reports:
The legislation, introduced by Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., last week, would create a “border wall trust fund.” People could donate any amount of money to it, with the funds specifically designated for “whatever it takes to build the wall” -- from supplies to salaries. It would be overseen by the Treasury Department, according to Black.
New bill proposes crowdfunding to pay for border wall https://t.co/6HED6GDaKj pic.twitter.com/aUUqqX5Y4J
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 23, 2018
“Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall (A) establish an account, to be known as the ‘Border Wall Trust Fund’, into which money received as gifts under this section shall be deposited; and (B) create a publicly accessible website to receive such gifts,” Black’s bill states.
The bill adds funds deposited into the fund can only be used “plan, design, construct, or maintain” a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
Lest one immediately laugh at such a prospect, Fox News pointed out that individual donations were raised for the initial construction of the Washington Monument back in 1833…well, until the donations dried up and Congress took over the remaining cost more than two decades later.
Of course, it’s still unlikely that a crowd-funding movement will rake in the $20 - $70 billion estimated to complete the wall, a project that’s still adamantly opposed by a good chunk of the American populace. It’s also a pretty far cry from the whole “Mexico’s going to pay for all this” promise President Trump pitched during his campaign to get people to sign onto the wall proposal in the first place.
Then again, a bunch of folks just donated more than $4.6 million for a Super Troopers sequel, so who knows?