OXON HILL, Maryland — “Make no mistake about it, we’re gonna build that wall,” declared Vice President Mike Pence from the stage of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday morning.
“Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall!” came chants from the crowd in response to the Vice President’s assurance that the Trump administration will build a wall along the U.S. southern border.
Building the border wall was a cornerstone pledge of then-candidate Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Just over a year into the Trump administration, Congress has yet to approve funding to complete the project.
In 2006, Democrats and Republicans joined together in sanctioning of the Secure Fence Act. However, the President’s efforts to secure funding for building a wall along the southern border have been met with heavy opposition from Democrats in his administration’s first year.
Eight border wall prototypes were unveiled in October of last year and have since endured testing to determine effectiveness.
The Vice President’s message at CPAC focused heavily on the slogan “promises made, promises kept,” listing first year Trump administration accomplishments from rolling back regulations and tax cuts to judicial appointments, reinstating the Mexico City policy, and approving the Keystone and Dakota Pipelines. These were just a few of the accomplishments Pence highlighted.
“Because of your support in this past year, it’s been a year of action, it’s been a year of remarkable results,” Pence told the jubilant CPAC crowd. “In a word, it’s been a year of promises made, and promises kept.”
“And as we prepare for the challenges ahead, let’s remember, progress is driven by the people who show up,” Pence went on, acknowledging that there was more yet to do. “Your President and I need you to show up, defend all that we’ve accomplished and all that we have yet to do.”
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