Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said there is a strong chance that $1 billion in taxpayer funding tied to security upgrades for President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom will be removed from a Senate budget reconciliation bill before it reaches the floor.
Paul Questions Ballroom Funding In Reconciliation Bill
Paul, whose committee is preparing to mark up part of the reconciliation package funding immigration enforcement, said the provision faces procedural and political obstacles. The money was included in legislative text released by the Senate Judiciary Committee and would fund the Secret Service for security enhancements related to the East Wing project.
“I’m for still doing it with the private donations,” Paul said, according to The Hill, referring to how the ballroom and related security work should be funded. Paul said there are “a lot of questions” about whether the provision can survive the Senate’s Byrd Rule review, known as the “Byrd Bath,” which determines what can remain in a reconciliation bill that can pass with a simple majority.
“I think it will have to go through the Byrd Bath and they’ll have to decide whether it can be in reconciliation,” Paul said.
Provision Faces More Hurdles In Senate
Even if the Senate parliamentarian allows the funding, Paul said the provision could still be removed because jurisdiction may fall outside his committee. “I don’t think it will be in there, is what my guess is,” he added.
Paul has introduced separate legislation to create an expedited approval process for the White House ballroom and future presidential projects, but without federal funding. “I’m for funding it with private funds,” he said. His committee has said the bill would authorize construction of the ballroom project.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) postponed a scheduled markup of the reconciliation bill after discussions with Senate leadership and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Judiciary Republicans said HSGAC would take the lead because its rules do not allow the minority to delay business for a week.
Tillis Warns Of Political Blowback
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said on Monday that he needed more answers before supporting $1 billion in taxpayer funding. “I got a lot of questions that got to be answered,” he said. “I’m going to ask basic questions on it.”
Tillis warned that the funding could become a political liability as voters worry about food and fuel costs. The Associated Press reported on Monday that Republicans have framed the funding as security-related, while Democrats have attacked it as wasteful and inconsistent with Trump’s earlier claims that the ballroom would be privately funded.
Image via Shutterstock/ noamgalai
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