Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has firmly told his colleagues he will not vote for the budget reconciliation bill if it reaches the Senate floor this week, according to two sources. His opposition threatens the bill's passage as GOP leaders aim for a Thursday vote.
The $72 billion package has drawn fire from a half-dozen GOP senators, including Tillis, John Curtis, Rand Paul, Rick Scott, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski. Many object to $1 billion allocated for the Secret Service, specifically security upgrades for the East Wing ballroom.
Several senators have noted President Trump insisted the ballroom renovations would be funded by private donations, not taxpayer money. Meanwhile, Secret Service funding is currently absent from the bill after an unfavorable ruling from the Senate parliamentarian Saturday night.
GOP leaders plan to bring the bill to the floor Thursday after committee approval Wednesday, subjecting it to a vote-a-rama. The opposition from Tillis and others could force last-minute changes or derail the schedule entirely.
Critics argue that opposing the bill over a single provision risks stalling broader Republican priorities, but Tillis and his allies maintain that fiscal discipline demands excluding the ballroom funding.