The White House suffered a big setback on Saturday from a Senate parliamentarian ruling that would block funding for a White House ballroom project in filibuster-proof budget legislation.
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that the party-line budget package cannot include $1 billion in funds sought for Secret Service operations and to secure the yet-to-be-built ballroom. Under arcane rules, any budget reconciliation bill in the Senate undergoes a review, known as Byrd bath, to excise provisions without a clear budget tie in.
Republicans said Friday after conversations with the parliamentarian that they would rewrite the language on the ballroom to comply with budget rules.
“Technical adjustments are a standard part of the budget reconciliation process,” Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee said in a statement. “Revisions and conversations with the parliamentarian are ongoing to ensure the text is fully Byrd compliant.”
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The ruling was highly anticipated by both parties for possible political fallout. The legislation, known as a budget reconciliation bill, could hit the Senate floor as early as next week.
Privately, Republicans were frustrated with the ballroom request from the White House, seeing it as too expensive and out of touch with voters hurt by the sluggish economy. But many in the party were weary of running afoul of President Donald Trump’s prized project and will likely see the ruling as a way to avoid a sensitive issue.
Democrats meanwhile, are eager to have Republicans go on the record as supporting a project that they deem as extravagant ahead of midterm elections, where cost-of-living concerns are front of mind for voters.
“Americans don’t want a ballroom. They don’t need a ballroom. And they sure as hell should not be forced to pay for one,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in statement, that also mocked “ballroom Republicans.”
White House officials and Republican leaders have tried to sell the plans in recent days. They released a breakdown of how the $1 billion would be spent and noted that about $220 million would go towards securing the East Wing project and the ballroom.
The remaining funds would go toward Secret Service training, a White House visitors screening facility and security enhancements, among other things.
They have also insisted that the ballroom itself will still be covered by donations and that it cannot be paid for by taxpayer-funded dollars.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran also appeared on Capitol Hill to try to sell Senate Republicans during their weekly policy lunch.
The push did not quell the skepticism.
“What would be the increased security that is needed for the Secret Service, what would that dollar amount be if there were no ballroom?” Sen. Susan Collins, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, asked in an interview with NOTUS, adding that Secret Service priorities should have been funded in the annual budget request.
“Why weren’t they fully funded in the president’s budget, which just came out last month?” Collins asked.
Earlier this week, the parliamentarian dealt an initial blow to Republicans by ruling that four parts of the budget package focused on immigration enforcement could not be included. Republicans indicated they will rework the text to bring those provisions under compliance with budget rules. They have much wider support in the party than ballroom funding.
“Despite what Budget Dems would like folks to believe, the sky is not falling,” said Ryan Wrasse, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune. “These are all technical fixes that were not unexpected. We look forward to continued productive work with the [parliamentarian] to fully fund Border Patrol and immigration enforcement.”
Democrats chalked up the ruling as an early win on the budget package.
“Democrats promised to fight this bill tooth and nail, and on Day One, we forced Republicans back on their heels. They’re already scrambling to rewrite key pieces of their plan,” Schumer said in a statement.
“[T]his fight is just getting started. Democrats will keep fighting in the Byrd Bath and on the Senate floor — forcing Republicans over and over to defend their real priority: Trump’s palace over your paycheck,” he added.
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