The push to secure federal dollars for President Donald Trump’s ballroom security just got more difficult on Capitol Hill.
Senate Democrats said Saturday the provision that funds Trump’s ballroom in the GOP’s latest budget bill has been deemed out of order by the Senate parliamentarian, a major blow to the president’s priority.
A GOP leadership aide cautioned the process is ongoing and that Republicans are continuing to refine the provision to find a way that it can be included.
But the ruling is still a major turn in the future of Trump’s ballroom renovation project. Top Republicans were already privately skeptical they’d have the votes for Trump’s ballroom push — which the White House has said would put money strictly toward security for the East Wing project and separate US Secret Service needs — at such an economically turbulent time for many Americans, according to multiple GOP leadership sources.
Saturday’s news forces Republican party leaders to go back to the drawing board to get the money through Congress without Democratic votes.
The ballroom funding totals about $220 million, according to a memo sent from the White House to members of Congress this week, but comes as part of a $1 billion security funding request.
Credit: cnn.com
