{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ansari.house.gov/media/press-releases/ansari-huffman-garcia-demand-transparency-on-white-house-ballroom-construction-during-shutdown", "Ansari, Huffman, Garcia Demand Transparency on White House Ballroom Construction During Shutdown", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "House", "AZ", "Yassamin Ansari", "A000381", "ansari.house.gov", "ansari", "https://ansari.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Lawmakers raise concerns about secrecy, funding priorities, and the demolition of the East Wing.\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) demanded answers from President Donald J. Trump regarding the reported construction of a new $250 million ballroom at the White House complex during the ongoing government shutdown.\n\nThe lawmakers warn that the project \u2014 undertaken \u201cwithout public disclosure or proper consultation\u201d \u2014 raises serious concerns about transparency, funding priorities, and the physical and ethical integrity of the White House.\n\n\u201c[\u2026] Outside the gates,\u201d they write, \u201cmillions of Americans are about to lose their health care, SNAP benefits that help put food on the table, and millions more will forego another paycheck because of the Republican refusal to end the shutdown.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis project represents one of the most substantial alterations to the White House in modern history,\u201d they wrote. \u201cThe decisions were made in complete secrecy.\u201d\n\nAccording to the letter, the National Capital Planning Commission, which has an important oversight role over such construction, is \u201cclosed during the federal government shutdown,\u201dwhile the Treasury Department \u201creportedly told employees not to share photos of the construction.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers also cite President Trump\u2019s previous statement that the project \u201cwon\u2019t interfere with the current building,\u201d noting that \u201cas we now know, this was a lie as much of the East Wing is demolished.\u201d\n\nThey further warn that the demolition of \u201can iconic symbol of a democracy run of, by, and for the people\u201d is being \u201cfunded by major donations from billionaires and corporations,\u201d discussed during \u201can elaborate dinner at the White House, where donors feasted on tomato salad, Beef Wellington, and butterscotch ice cream with a pear jam-filled meringue,\u201daccording to reporting by CBS News.\n\nThe letter requests, within two weeks, extensive documentation on the project, including communications with federal agencies, architectural plans, environmental and historic preservation reviews, contract awards, budgets, donor lists, and any legal authorities invoked to continue work during the lapse in appropriations.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve full transparency regarding the substantial demolition, preparation, and construction at the White House during a government shutdown, particularly when it concerns alterations to one of our nation\u2019s most historically significant buildings,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ansari.house.gov/media/press-releases/ansari-huffman-garcia-demand-transparency-on-white-house-ballroom-construction-during-shutdown"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0273461230099201, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}