Republicans are redrafting a provision in their immigration enforcement bill that would direct security funding toward parts of President Donald Trump’s ballroom project, according to four people granted anonymity to report details of the talks.
The decision comes after a bipartisan meeting Friday with the Senate parliamentarian on the portion of the bill that could inject taxpayer funding into the controversial project. Republicans and Democrats made their respective cases for and against $1 billion in Secret Service funding — roughly $220 million of which, according to administration estimates, could go toward the East Wing “hardening.”
Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough hasn’t yet delivered a formal ruling on the Judiciary Committee-drafted text, but Republicans are making changes in response to the hourslong meeting. Even after the initial ruling, Republicans will need to defend the revised text in a meeting with MacDonough, meaning talks will likely go through the weekend.
“Technical adjustments are a standard part of the budget reconciliation process. Revisions and conversations with the parliamentarian are ongoing to ensure the text is fully Byrd compliant,” Judiciary Committee Republicans posted Friday night on X.
A Senate Democratic aide, granted anonymity to disclose the talks, said that “Democrats will continue to challenge every line of new bill text that is shared with Democrats.”
In addition to the changes being made because of discussions with the parliamentarian, Senate GOP leaders have also been discussing potential changes to the Secret Service and East Wing language. That is to address concerns from some Republican members, who have been uneasy with taxpayer funding going toward the construction project and want more details from the White House.
