Republicans Block Blumenthal's Budget Amendments Seeking Transparency & Oversight Over Trump's Billion Dollar Ballroom Boondoggle

[WASHINGTON, DC] — During the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee’s consideration of the Trump Administration’s budget reconciliation package today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) offered amendments to enforce strict transparency requirements and Congressional oversight over the construction of President Trump’s ballroom. Senate Republicans unanimously voted down Blumenthal’s amendments in today’s Committee markup. “If anyone wonders why the President or Members of Congress are out of touch with what is on the minds of the American people, they have only to look at the failure of this committee to deal with the merits of the ballroom,” Blumenthal said. Blumenthal pointed out the ballooning cost for the ballroom project after the Trump White House requested $1 billion in taxpayer funds to complete the ballroom in addition to the hundreds of millions the Administration raised from special interests: “ The President told us that the ballroom would not interfere with the White House, when in fact, it is an architectural monstrosity. They said that the capacity of the ballroom would be 650 people. Then they revised it to over 1,000. They said that it would cost $200 million. The price then rose to $250 million, $350 million, $400 million. They said that the construction of the ballroom would be done entirely with financing by private donors. Now they are seeking taxpayer money, $1 billion, telling us they cannot finish the project without the funds.” Blumenthal offered a series of amendments, which would do the following: Prohibit funds from being spent on the East Wing Modernization project except through competitive contract awards; Prohibit funds from being spent until all donors, donor amounts, fundraising solicitation records, and donor and construction contracts related to the East Wing Modernization project are made publicly available; Establish a Congressional Oversight Panel for the East Wing Modernization project; Require a GAO report on fundraising, contractor selection, contracts, and construction management for the East Wing Modernization project; and Enact Blumenthal’s No Palaces Act , which puts additional guardrails on the White House’s construction and demolition process, including requiring congressional authorization for the use of private funds for improvements to the White House. A video of Blumenthal’s remarks during today’s markup is available here . As Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into the use of private donations to fund President Trump’s ballroom and has repeatedly raised concerns about donors who have deep financial, business, or other personal interests before the Trump Administration. Blumenthal has written to each of the reported donors to the White House ballroom project, as well as donors previously kept secret by the White House, to seek information about the terms of their donations and any potential deals made in exchange for contributions. Blumenthal has also demanded answers from the lead architect, construction firm, and engineering firm selected to work on President Trump’s ballroom and pressed Clark Construction, the firm selected to build the ballroom, for details after it was awarded a no-bid contract to make repairs to the public fountains in Lafayette Square across the street from the White House. -30-