The Department of Defense told Reuters that the pier designed to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza will cost taxpayers $320 million.
The cost is more than double the original price.
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) told Reuters that the cost has “exploded.”
“This dangerous effort with marginal benefit will now cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days.”
“How much will taxpayers be on the hook once – or if – the pier is finally constructed?” he asked. “For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas’ rockets.”
On Monday, U.S. Central Command released images of the first stages of the pier’s construction.
Pier-building begins
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 29, 2024
Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway.
The pier will support @USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. @USTRANSCOM and @USEUCOM support the movement of… pic.twitter.com/tC9J12wz4Z
JLOTS is “Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore.”
Wicker responded to the images, writing on X, “For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas’ rockets.”
For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas’ rockets. https://t.co/73baAKwzaN
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) April 29, 2024
The temporary pier was announced in March during Biden’s State of the Union and is expected to be completed in early May.
According to the Defense Department, no U.S. soldiers will be on the ground when the pier is operational.
When completed, the pier will be able to facilitate up to 150 aid trucks a day.
Following the announcement of the pier, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said that U.S. aid to Gaza will land “into the hands of terrorists such as Hamas and put U.S. servicemembers’ lives at risk.”
“The House Oversight Committee has been sounding the alarm about U.S. aid to Gaza falling into the hands of terror groups, but it is falling on deaf ears with President Biden and his administration,” he added. “The fact that this announcement will come during tonight’s State of the Union address says it all: President Biden cares more about appeasing the radical left than helping our ally Israel and protecting U.S. taxpayer dollars.”
