Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH-08) introduced a bill in November that would create an account within the U.S. Department of the Treasury to hold public donations for a border wall.
Davidson’s legislation, H.R. 7207, was introduced several weeks before veteran Brian Kolfage launched a GoFundMe to help pay for the border wall, which has now received more than $13 million in donations.
“Open border radicals make our country less safe for families everywhere. Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seized 2,379 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin—drugs that would otherwise have made their way to Ohio streets for sale,” Davidson said in a press release when introducing the bill.
His legislation, titled Buy a Brick, Build the Wall Act, would allow money deposited in a “Border Wall Trust Fund” to be “used for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining a barrier along the border between the United States and Mexico.”
The text of his bill calls for allowing the “Secretary of the Treasury to to accept public donations to fund the construction of a barrier on the border.” It would also establish a Border Wall Trust Fund, and create a “publicly accessible website” to receive donations.
“This bill creates a way for our citizens to pitch in and help efforts to secure the border, support President Trump’s commitment to build the wall, and keep future generations safe,” Davidson said in his press release.
Kolfage says he contacted Davidson about his bill, but it likely would need to be included in the spending bill in order to be passed before Democrats take control of the House. Kolfage is also working with a legal team on drafting a document that would bind the government to using the funds for a wall and nothing else.
Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS-04) recently introduced a “Border Bonds for America Act of 2018,” which would allow Americans to purchase revenue bonds from the U.S. Treasury to help fund a border wall.
– – –
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
