GOP weighs scrubbing White House security funding from immigration bill over ballroom controversy

Senate Republicans were weighing on Wednesday whether to remove all or part of $1 billion for White House security funding from their $70 billion party-line immigration enforcement bill over concerns about President Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-built East Wing ballroom.

The consideration comes amid GOP heartburn over the optics of providing taxpayer money for a project Trump has long promised would be funded through private donors. Over the weekend, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the provision would need to be rewritten to pass with only a simple majority under the so-called reconciliation process.  

Republicans could remove some or all of the money that was earmarked for the Secret Service, according to Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA).

“My understanding is the votes were not there,” Kennedy said. “My understanding is that the security money has come out.”

Roughly $220 million of the $1 billion earmarked for funding is slated for security around and near the