Republican senators included $1 billion to bolster White House security in a bill aimed at funding immigration enforcement agencies, boosting support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom.
The measure gained momentum after the indictment against Cole Tomas Allen, suspected of trying to assassinate Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, on April 25, at the Washington Hilton hotel.
The text, released on Monday night, 4th, allocates resources to the Secret Service for “security adjustments and updates” related to the hall project. The proposal provides that the money cannot be used for items other than security. The allocation is part of a larger package aimed at funding the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.
After Congress on April 30 passed a bipartisan bill to fund the remainder of the Department of Homeland Security after a record shutdown, Republicans resorted to a partisan budget maneuver to try to go it alone with resources earmarked for ICE and the Patrol. The Chamber has not yet presented its version, and the Senate is expected to begin voting on the proposal next week.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle praised the inclusion of the funding, classifying the venture as “overdue” and saying that it will give the Secret Service the resources necessary to “totally and completely shield” the complex, in addition to supporting the agency’s other missions.
It is not yet clear how the $1 billion would be used. In court documents, the White House said the East Wing project will be “heavily fortified,” with bomb shelters, military installations and a medical unit under the building. Trump also advocated for space to have bulletproof glass and the ability to repel drone attacks.
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The Chamber has not yet presented its version, and the Senate is expected to begin voting on the proposal next week.
