Senate Republicans have officially withdrawn a $1 billion provision for security enhancements for a proposed White House ballroom from a revised budget reconciliation bill.
The decision to retract the funding was made during the Memorial Day recess, but was only formalized with the release of the updated text from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
This move comes as a significant setback for President Donald Trump, who has been lobbying Republican senators for weeks to authorize the project, especially after a security incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner in April.
In a 53-47 procedural vote on Wednesday, the Senate moved forward with legislation that would fund federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol.
Lawmakers will now debate the bill and consider amendments before holding a final vote, which could stretch into Thursday.
