The Obsidian
Politics

A Billion Dollars for the Ballroom: The Senate Weighs the Bill

Senate Republicans are debating whether to back President Trump's $1 billion request for security around the new White House ballroom complex. Some in the conference are calling the figure unjustifiable.

The Obsidian Desk

Construction of the new East Wing ballroom is well underway, visible now from the National Mall. The administration is asking Congress for a billion dollars in dedicated security funding — a number senators in both parties are struggling to defend on the merits.

Republican appropriators have suggested they could support a fraction of the request through existing channels. The political question is whether the conference can hold that line without provoking a public confrontation with the President.

Democrats are content, for now, to let the disagreement play out inside the Republican caucus.

Sources & Further Reading

More from Politics

Continue Reading

Alex Murdaugh Wins a New Trial — and Reopens a Question About the Verdict

A South Carolina court has granted the disgraced attorney a new trial three years after his conviction for the murders of his wife and son. The decision turns less on guilt than on what jurors were allowed to hear — and from whom.

The National Mood Has Turned. Will the Maps Save Republicans?

Polling and special-election results point to a difficult midterm for the GOP. Mid-decade redistricting in four states could blunt the damage — but it cannot fully cancel it.

Four States, One Map, and the Voting Rights Act After the Court

Republican legislatures across the South are redrawing congressional districts after a Supreme Court decision narrowed minority-vote protections. The fights are local; the design is coordinated.

The Briefing

See Beyond the Headlines

Get sharp analysis, global reporting, and investigative stories delivered to your inbox each morning.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam, ever.