Republicans Solicit Private Cash for Wall
as Patrick Hails Letter as Historic Treasure

Capitol Inside
June 16, 2021

The state's top GOP leaders ponied up a quarter-billion dollar down payment on Wednesday for the initial planning for a new Texas border wall that they say is desperately needed to stop a reign of terror on the Mexican border with an invasion of migrants from the south.

"We believe in law and order in the Lone State State - and by god - we're going to step up and deliver for the Lone Star State," Governor Greg Abbott declared at Texas Capitol press conference that three dozen Republican state lawmakers attended.

Abbott and legislative leaders signed a letter formalizing their commitment to the resurrection of the barrier that had been Donald Trump's signature priority before his ouster last fall by Democratic President Joe Biden.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick was so moved by the moment that he predicted that the letter would be viewed in the future as one of the most important documents in the history of the Lone Star State. "This is a fight for survival," Patrick proclaimed.

Abbott ordered the Texas Facilities Commission to get the process off the ground with the hiring of a project manager to oversee the new wall's erection. State Senator Jane Nelson - a Flower Mound Republican who's the upper chamber's chief budget writer - said the Legislative Budget Board had the ability to approve funding for start-up costs when lawmakers are not in session. Abbott said that the state would allocate $250 million to get the project off the ground - even though he acknowledged that the eventual price tag could be a hundred times higher or more.

But the governor and his fellow Republicans at the Capitol aren't planning to have the state foot the entire bill for the stringing of fence along the Rio Grande. Abbott said that many individual donors have already sent money to the state for the barrier's construction. Abbott added that private donations that can be made at borderwall.texas.gov or by mail to Texas Border Wall at P.O. Box 13226 in Austin, Texas at 78711.

GOP Speaker Dade Phelan said he would be doing his part by issuing interim charges to a long list of House committees on issues related to border security and the new barb-wire wall. Abbott said that two state agencies - the Texas Department of Emergency Management and the governor's office - will have ultimate oversight over the wall.

more to come ...