West Virginia: Proposal to give $10M for Trump's border wall

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Some lawmakers in drug-ravaged West Virginia want to pitch in millions of dollars for President Donald Trump's wall-building effort along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The GOP-led House of Delegates issued a statement Monday a bill planned by three delegates would divert $10 million from West Virginia's current $186 million budget surplus for wall construction.

Trump is seeking $5.7 billion overall to fund construction of a wall along about 235 miles of the border, and the federal government has been partially shut down as Trump and Democratic lawmakers are at an impasse over his request. The suggested offer from West Virginia would pay a tiny fraction of the cost.

Last week a Republican lawmaker in Montana proposed giving more than $8 million for the wall, while senators in South Dakota senators voted to urge construction of a steel barrier.

The sponsors in West Virginia are Delegates Carl "Robbie" Martin, R-Upshur; Patrick Martin, R-Lewis; and Caleb Hanna, R-Webster. Robbie and Patrick Martin are brothers.

West Virginia has by far the highest rate of U.S. drug overdose deaths. The three lawmakers said on a conference call today the $10 million would help stem the flow of drugs from Mexico into West Virginia.

"Our constituents are crying out, saying that they need help with this drug problem," Patrick Martin said. "West Virginians want this wall. I believe that they want border security."