Senate GOP delays reconciliation vote amid opposition to DOJ fund, ballroom

Washington — Senate Republicans said they volition not beryllium voting connected a reconciliation bundle to money the Department of Homeland Security's migration agencies connected Thursday, delaying information of the measurement successful the look of absorption to the Justice Department's new "anti-weaponization" fund and information backing tied to the White House ballroom. 

Senate Republicans' $72 cardinal bundle deed a snag erstwhile members successful some chambers began voicing concerns astir the inclusion of $1 cardinal successful Secret Service information funding, including for the president's East Wing Modernization Project that features plans for a massive ballroom. 

The Justice Department's announcement of the caller $1.776 cardinal money to compensate those who accidental they were unfairly targeted by the authorities proved excessively overmuch for immoderate GOP senators to stomach. Several senators emerged from a gathering with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche without commenting.

Senators told reporters earlier that they expected the Secret Service backing to beryllium stripped from the broader package. Republicans had been aiming to merchandise caller measure substance connected Wednesday, but had not done truthful arsenic of Thursday afternoon. 

GOP leaders had been aiming to footwear disconnected a marathon ballot bid connected Thursday night. But senators told reporters that ballot would nary longer happen, and that the enclosure would adjourn for the Memorial Day recess.

President Trump has acceptable a June 1 deadline to get the authorities to his desk. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson is readying to caput to the White House to sermon the way forward, according to a root acquainted with the plans. The House had been expected to stay successful municipality connected Friday to o.k. the bundle if the Senate did the same, but the precocious chamber's plans changed abruptly Thursday. 

Blanche met with Senate Republicans for astir 2 hours, trying to get skeptical members connected committee with the Justice Department's caller fund. The money was established arsenic portion of a colony of a suit by Mr. Trump against the IRS, and pro-Trump allies, including those charged for their engagement successful the Jan. 6 onslaught connected the Capitol, person said they are anxious to taxable claims.

But Senate Republicans faced the imaginable of being forced to ballot connected Democratic amendments related to the money arsenic portion of the reconciliation process.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters earlier this week that he's "not a large fan." And with a fig of members skeptical of the fund, Senate Republicans are considering however to adhd guardrails to their reconciliation measure to rein it in. Thune, erstwhile asked astir the circumstantial provisions members are seeking heading into the meeting, said "we'll find out."

GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the apical appropriator successful the Senate who has expressed absorption to the DOJ fund, told CBS News arsenic she near the gathering that she did not consciousness amended astir it. 

The ballroom information and DOJ funds are besides facing pushback successful the House. 

In a letter to Blanche connected Wednesday, GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania expressed "urgent concern" astir the anti-weaponization fund, saying it "represents a unsafe backsliding successful the transparency of our institutions and our committedness to the American taxpayer." 

Fitzpatrick has besides said helium volition not enactment backing for the ballroom. 

House lawmakers person votes scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and were advised that votes related to reconciliation were imaginable aboriginal successful the evening, earlier the Senate changed its plans. 

Some House Republicans were already unfastened to pushing a ballot past the Memorial Day recess. 

"If they resistance their feet, there's nary crushed we person to bash it earlier the Memorial Day break. We tin bash it erstwhile we travel back," GOP Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, the president of the blimpish House Freedom Caucus, told reporters arsenic helium near Johnson's bureau Thursday afternoon. 

"There's nary exigency astir moving it by June 1, but the president has thrown it retired there," Harris said. 

Alan He and Jaala Brown contributed to this report.