In a blow to the White House, Senate Republicans will remove a $1 billion Secret Service funding request that would help President Donald Trumpâs ballroom project from their immigration enforcement funding bill amid internal objections.
âWe were told that the ballroom money is out,â Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told reporters after a GOP lunch meeting Wednesday, adding heâd âlike to read the text.â
The decision to omit the security funding came after twin blows: Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled over the weekend that the provision didnât comply with the strict rules governing what Republicans can put in their filibuster-skirting bill because it funded activities outside of the Judiciary Committeeâs jurisdiction.
And several GOP senators aired public concerns about including any ballroom funding in a bill otherwise dedicated to immigration enforcement. A larger swath of Republicans were privately opposed, with the mood souring further Tuesday amid anger over Trump’s decision to endorse Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the upcoming GOP primary runoff in Texas.