MacDonough Rejects Parts of GOP’s $1 Billion Security Bill, Forcing Rewrite
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 15
MacDonough Rejects Parts of GOP’s $1 Billion Security Bill, Forcing Rewrite
4 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 15
$1 billion in White House and Secret Service security funding hit a new hurdle after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled Thursday that parts of the broader GOP bill violate reconciliation rules.
Friday’s closed-door “Byrd bath” will test the most contentious piece next: language covering Secret Service upgrades tied to the East Wing project, including up to $220 million for the White House.
Republican leaders say they can rewrite provisions MacDonough struck, but several GOP senators still want a detailed spending breakdown and some predict Democrats could peel off four Republicans to remove the funding in a vote-a-rama.
House passage is also uncertain, with vulnerable Republicans balking at backing taxpayer money for White House and ballroom-related security even as the White House intensifies pressure and cites a worsening threat environment.
How can the White House balance billion-dollar security upgrades with its role as a historic and accessible public monument?
What specific new threats justify a $1 billion security upgrade, and how will its spending be made transparent?
Do modern drone and cyber threats make large-scale physical fortifications for government buildings increasingly obsolete?