White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany distanced the White House from calls included in Senate Republicans’ coronavirus stimulus bill for $1.8 billion in funding for a new FBI headquarters in Washington, DC.
“This was part of the president’s priority of updating the FBI building, keeping it in Washington, DC,” McEnany stated Wednesday during an interview on CBS. “It’s been one of the things that’s been mentioned that’s in this bill. It’s part of one of the president’s priorities, and it’s been a priority for several months.” (EXCLUSIVE: Congress, White House Unlikely To Deliver Phase 4 Stimulus Before Recess, Sources Say)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 27: White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany walk on the South Lawn after landing aboard Marine One at the White House from a trip with President Donald Trump July 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“The president’s made clear this is what he wants to see,” she continued when asked specifically why that funding allocation is included in the coronavirus stimulus package. “It’s not a deal breaker.”
“The priority here is unemployment benefits. As the president said, that’s the ultimate priority, so the FBI part is one portion, a small portion of what is an overarching bill on COVID and the priority, as he said yesterday, is the unemployment benefits.”
WATCH:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Tuesday that the White House specifically pushed to include the funding for the FBI building in the bill and that he opposes including non-coronavirus-related spending items in any stimulus legislation.
“Let me speak for myself. I am opposed to non-germane amendments,” the Kentucky Republican stated. “Whether it’s funding for the FBI building or, for example, in the House bill, whether it’s a tax cut for high-income earners in blue states or other non-germane amendments in the House bill like marijuana studies or aid to illegal immigrants.”
“When we get to the end of the process, I would hope all of the non-Covid related measures are out no matter what bill they were in at the start.”
McConnell’s bill — dubbed the HEALS Act — has been criticized by both Republicans and Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer totally rejected the proposal on the grounds that it doesn’t include a large enough unemployment insurance extension and no funding for state aid. Meanwhile, some Republicans — including Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott — have voiced extreme displeasure at the prospect of passing any type of additional stimulus.