Congress has stayed out of the private planning and legal fights over construction of a new White House ballroom — until now.
Republican lawmakers are suddenly interested in authorizing — and potentially even funding — the $400 million ballroom project after a would-be assassin crashed the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday.
“I’m working with my team to draft legislation ensuring the White House Ballroom is completed,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican, on social media Sunday. “I don’t believe congressional approval is required for the project, but if it’ll keep activist judges on the sideline, so be it.”
Construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom has been slowed by a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, but a federal appeals court recently overruled a lower court injunction that placed a hold on some of the work.
National Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO Carol Quillen said in a statement Monday that the group will not voluntarily dismiss its lawsuit despite pressure from the White House to do so.
“Ballroom construction is continuing unabated until June 5 at the earliest because the injunction is on hold,” she said. “We have always acknowledged the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House. Building it lawfully requires the approval of Congress, which the administration could seek at any time.”
President Trump, who along with other top administration officials was the target of the assassination attempt, praised the Secret Service and other law enforcement officials for quickly apprehending the gunman who ran past a security checkpoint inside the Hilton before he could get to the main ballroom or within shooting range of the president.
But Mr. Trump argued the inability to fully secure the private hotel is even more reason why his new White House ballroom must be built.
“This is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we’re planning at the White House,” Mr. Trump said, noting the new ballroom will be larger and “much more secure.”