A Billion Dollars for a Ballroom Is Too Much

As your constituent, I urge you to oppose any taxpayer funding for President Trump’s proposed White House ballroom project. That includes any funding labeled as security, modernization, infrastructure, or site work if it is materially related to enabling or operating the ballroom. A project publicly described as privately financed should not create a backdoor taxpayer expense. DO NOT USE PUBLIC MONEY FOR A PROJECT DESCRIBED AS PRIVATELY FUNDED Public reporting indicates that Senate Republicans have proposed $1 billion for Secret Service-related security upgrades connected to the East Wing Modernization Project, while President Trump has said the ballroom itself will be privately funded. If accurate, that distinction is not enough. If taxpayers are asked to pay for the security, underground construction, infrastructure, or site work that makes the ballroom usable, the effect would still be to shift part of the project’s costs onto taxpayers. CONGRESS MUST PROTECT PUBLIC PRIORITIES At a time when Americans face high costs for housing, food, health care, child care, education, and basic services, Congress should not allocate public money to a ballroom project publicly described as privately financed. The White House already has secure space for official functions. Any genuine security need should be evaluated separately, justified publicly where possible, and funded only through regular, transparent appropriations. PRIVATE FUNDING MUST NOT BECOME PUBLIC SUBSIDY If private donors want to fund a ballroom, taxpayers should not be left paying the larger hidden costs. Congress should not allow private contributions to create pressure for public spending on surrounding infrastructure, security, maintenance, or future operations. Congress controls the purse. It should make clear that no public funds may be used, directly or indirectly, to build, enable, secure, or subsidize the East Wing/White House ballroom project unless the Administration first provides an itemized justification and Congress reviews it through regular, transparent appropriations and oversight. I urge you to take the following steps: (1) Oppose any appropriation, reconciliation provision, or transfer authority that funds construction, security, infrastructure, or site work connected to the ballroom project. (2) Require a public accounting of all projected federal costs, including security, underground facilities, staffing, maintenance, and future operations. (3) Insist that any legitimate White House security request be separated from the ballroom project and reviewed through ordinary appropriations and oversight. (4) Speak publicly against using taxpayer funds to support a project that was publicly described as privately financed. Thank you.