\n
<\/p>\n
The GOP bill released late Monday would designate the money for the U.S. Secret Service for \u201csecurity adjustments and upgrades\u201d related to the ballroom project, which Trump and Republicans have been pushing since\u00a0Cole Tomas Allen<\/a>\u00a0allegedly stormed the April 25 media dinner at the Washington Hilton with guns and knives. The legislation says the money would support enhancements to the ballroom project, \u201cincluding above-ground and below-ground security features,\u201d but also specifies that the money may not be used for non-security elements.<\/p>\n White House spokesperson Davis Ingle praised Republicans for including the money for the \u201clong overdue\u201d project, saying it would \u201cprovide the United States Secret Service with the resources they need to fully and completely harden the White House complex, in addition to the many other critical missions for the USSS.\u201d<\/p>\n The money is part of a larger bill to pay for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, as Democrats have been blocking funds for both agencies since mid-February. Congress\u00a0passed bipartisan legislation<\/a>\u00a0to fund the rest of the Homeland Security Department on April 30 after a record-long shutdown, but Republicans are\u00a0using a partisan budget maneuver<\/a>\u00a0to push through the ICE and Border Patrol dollars on their own. The House has not released its bill yet, but the Senate is expected to start voting on its version of the legislation next week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It is unclear exactly how the $1 billion would be used, and the amount far exceeds the proposed $400 million for construction of the ballroom. The White House has said in court documents that the East Wing project would be \u201cheavily fortified,\u201d including bomb shelters, military installations and a medical facility underneath the ballroom. Trump has said it should include bulletproof glass and be able to repel drone attacks.<\/p>\n The National Trust for Historic Preservation\u00a0has sued to block construction<\/a>\u00a0of the project, but a federal appeals court said last month that it can continue in the meantime.<\/p>\n The White House has said that private money would pay for the construction but public money would be used for security measures. Some Republicans have suggested that\u00a0public money pay for all of it<\/a>, arguing the security breach at the dinner shows the president needs a secure place to host events.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n