GOP bill will authorize $400M to White House ballroom: Graham
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced he is introducing legislation to provide $400 million in federal funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom. Graham said the project is intended to address security concerns after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton, arguing the new venue-and related infrastructure-would be designed to be more secure for Trump and future presidents.
He also said some costs would be covered through private donations and that expenses could be offset by “custom fees,” including funding intended for a Secret Service annex and other national-security-related work beneath the ballroom. Graham noted that before his bill, the White House said the project was being funded using a combination of private donations and Trump’s personal funds.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Monday announced he is introducing legislation seeking to fund President Donald Trump’s ballroom project.
The bill would direct $400 million in federal funding to the White House’s new ballroom. Trump has argued the new venue is necessary to address security concerns sparked by the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, which took place at the Washington Hilton.
Recommended Stories
“Underneath this ballroom will be infrastructure that is national security-centric,” Graham told reporters as he detailed the legislation. “The ballroom itself will avoid the dilemma of having to lead the White House grounds with future presidents and this president to go downtown in a place that’s less secure.”
“President Trump said to me … yesterday, ‘We need the ballroom, not just for me, but for future presidents,’” the senator continued. The sooner we get the ballroom built, the more hardened it is, the better for the country. So I hope and pray that most people in the Senate after Saturday night will support this bill.”
Before Graham introduced the bill, the White House had said the project was being funded through a mix of private donations and Trump’s personal funds.
Graham said Monday that some of the ballroom costs would be covered by private donations and some would be offset by “custom fees.”
DOJ CALLS ON NATIONAL TRUST TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP BALLROOM AFTER DINNER SHOOTING
“[The bill] would authorize $400 million to be spent to secure, to build the presidential ballroom,” he said. “Underneath, there will be a lot of military stuff. There will be a Secret Service annex, and we’ve paid for it by offsetting it with custom fees.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
