House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington said in an interview Tuesday he would “reserve judgment” on the White House’s request for Republicans to include $1 billion in security funding in their party-line package until he saw legislative text, but cautioned he wanted to see an “itemized” list of what the money would be used for.
“I hope it’s narrowly tailored to getting ICE and CBP funded and restoring the safety and security of the American people — that was our intent from the beginning,” Arrington, a Texas Republican, said of the bill GOP lawmakers want to pass through the filibuster-skirting reconciliation process to fund the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement activities.
His comments come as GOP lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about the administration’s desire to wedge $1 billion into the reconciliation bill, which can be used to fund the security features of a new White House ballroom and other “frequented venues” by the president.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran met with Senate Republicans at a closed-door lunch Tuesday to walk through the funding request, providing a handout breaking down the funding, but he failed to convince everyone present that approving the full amount was a wise idea.
