Republican lawmakers plan to turn President Donald Trump’s call to create his ballroom after the shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening into legislation.
Sen. Tim Sheehy, a freshman from Montana, said that this week, he will request unanimous consent for legislation to express support for the creation of the ballroom in the East Wing of the White House.
“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nation’s capital, including ones attended by our President, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy said.
The president has made the construction of the $400m structure at the White House a top priority, despite the fact many Americans disapprove of its construction. Polling last year showed Americans were unhappy about the demolition of the East Wing of the White House for its construction.
But since the shooting on Saturday evening, when a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton where the dinner was hosted, Trump and his administration have made the case that the ballroom is a national security priority.
Sheehy echoed this sentiment in his statement.
“A President of any party should be able to host events in a secure area without attendees worrying about their safety,” he said. “This is common sense. Let’s get it done.”
Sheehy is not the only Republican calling for a ballroom. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, said he would demand money for the ballroom in any major spending package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Any consideration of DHS reconciliation instructions this week & beyond should provide for construction of a secure ballroom on White House grounds – in addition to other concerns being addressed regarding ICE/CBP, SAVE America, Transgender & Abortion funding, Recon 3, & more,” Roy said.
The House of Representatives plans to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security with the exception of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
It then hopes to pass a second bill that will fund those latter two agencies through the process called budget reconciliation that allows Republicans to avoid a filibuster. Roy and his contingent also want to push bans on taxpayer funding for gender-affirming care and abortions.
Trump pushed for the need for a ballroom in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
“This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House. It cannot be built fast enough! While beautiful, it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in, and is inside the gates of the most secure building in the World, The White House,” he said on Truth Social.
The shooting came during Trump’s first appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner since he became president. Police later apprehended a uspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen. He is set to be arraigned on Monday.
John Bowden contributed to this report
