1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

Why Are We Still Funding a $400 Million Party Palace While Congress Was Never Asked? I am asking you to demand an immediate halt to construction on the White House East Wing ballroom until Congress formally authorizes it, and to use every oversight tool available to force accountability for the public money already spent. Here are the facts. In October 2025, the entire 123-year-old East Wing was demolished, including the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and two historic memorial magnolia trees, to make way for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom Trump now says will cost $400 million. A Washington Post investigation found tens of millions of dollars in public funds, including $3.6 million in Secret Service money, went toward the project despite claims it was “taxpayer-free.” A federal judge issued an injunction on April 16, 2026, and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld it, ruling Congress alone has constitutional control over federal property and funding. On August 21, 2026, Chief Justice Roberts issued only a temporary administrative stay, pending further Supreme Court review, not a ruling on the merits. This isn’t a fringe complaint. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found 56% of Americans opposed the demolition, with nearly half strongly opposed, and preservation groups across the political spectrum have joined the legal fight. I don’t want to hear one more word about budget discipline or cutting programs that serve people while this administration bulldozes history to build itself a banquet hall. My tax dollars fund roads, clinics, and schools before they fund gold-plated vanity projects. I am asking you to: • Demand a full public accounting of every taxpayer dollar spent on this project • Support congressional legislation requiring prior authorization for any structural changes to the White House complex • Publicly oppose Supreme Court intervention that lets construction outrun judicial review Congress, not a crew working around the clock to “outrun” the courts, should decide whether we build this. Thank you for representing me.