Senate Republicans Introduce $400M White House Ballroom Security Bill

Senate Republicans on Monday introduced plans for legislation authorizing $400 million in federal funds to construct a White House ballroom, following a shooting incident that interrupted the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday. Sens. , announced the bill at a press conference, stating it would enhance national security by providing a secure venue adjacent to the White House for large events involving government officials.

President Trump stated that the ballroom is needed as a safer alternative for such gatherings after the alleged gunman rushed into the Washington Hilton Hotel during the dinner, though Secret Service agents stopped him before he reached the room where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, administration officials, and members of Congress were present.

Trump immediately called for the ballroom's construction post-incident, emphasizing its role as a more secure option than the Washington Hilton. He had previously stated that the project would be funded by private donations.

Graham said at the press conference that many initially viewed the ballroom as a vanity project but he does not see it that way. 'I'm convinced if there had been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would have never gotten in,' Graham stated. , to expedite the legislation.

As chair of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham has not ruled out including the funding in a tax and spending bill currently advancing through Congress to support immigration enforcement subagencies within the Department of Homeland Security. Sen. , announced on Monday that he would introduce separate legislation on Tuesday to advance the ballroom project without new taxpayer costs.

Sen. Katie Britt, who leads the Senate Appropriations subpanel on Homeland Security, called the earlier legal challenge to the project ridiculous. 'President Trump was smart to ask for this, and now is the time for us to step up and actually move forward,' Britt stated.

She added that the shooting incident serves as a wake-up call about DHS funding. Construction of the ballroom was blocked earlier this month by a federal judge, who ruled that President Trump had not secured congressional authorization. The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down since February, with the White House using funds from the 2025 tax and spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill to cover DHS salaries interim.

The administration has warned that this interim funding could expire at the end of the month. The Senate unanimously passed a DHS funding bill in late March that would support all agency components except Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol.

House Republicans rejected that bill and proposed an alternative to fund the entire agency, which Democrats have refused without modifications to federal immigration enforcement policy.

Only one Democrat, Sen. , has publicly supported funding for the ballroom project following the Saturday security breach, according to Politico. Fetterman called for his colleagues to back the initiative.

Sen. , stated that she does not see the connection between the attack and the new ballroom. Sen. , stated that the ballroom has nothing to do with what happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Graham stated on Monday night that he wants to advance the ballroom bill as a freestanding measure with an offset, and he has begun pitching it to Democrats, noting some are rattled by the incident. 5 trillion budget request, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill. Republicans remain divided on the approach, with some like Sen.

Rand Paul suggesting integration into a party-line budget reconciliation bill focused on $75 billion for immigration enforcement, though Graham prefers a standalone vote. , said he would oppose the ballroom authorization because it is too small for events like the correspondents’ dinner but remains open to bipartisan discussions, especially given that Trump has already begun altering White House structures.

Sen.

Susan Collins, R-Maine, acknowledged the security inadequacies exposed by the incident but noted that not all large events could move to the White House and that historical preservation groups have concerns. House Republicans, including Reps. Randy Fine of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, signaled they would introduce similar ballroom funding bills.

Trump’s unilateral attempt to build the ballroom is under appeal after the judicial ruling requiring congressional approval. Congress faces additional pressures, including the unresolved Iran war, expiring foreign surveillance powers this week, and the ongoing DHS shutdown.