Republicans propose $1 billion secret service upgrade for White House ballroom project

Senate Republicans have added 1 billion in White House security funding to support President Trump’s East Wing ballroom project into a broader 70 million immigration enforcement package.

According to the legislative text unveiled on late Monday, May 4.

The bill, introduced by both the Senate Judiciary Committee and Homeland Security Committee, provides the money to the U.S. Secret Service for “security adjustments and improvements” in connection with the East Wing Modernization Project.

The bill mandates that the money can be used for “above and below ground security enhancements,” but no money will go into “non-security aspects” of the building.

The funding is a part of a party-line package that focuses on financial support of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

The package was blocked by Democrats since mid-February. Republicans now plan to pass the measure using reconciliation (a budgetary process that bypasses the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold).

Earlier, the Trump administration briefed that the private donors are funding the ballroom construction project without any contribution of taxpayer’s money.

However, after the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month, Republicans have increasingly argued for public funding.