Following Senate Republicans' weekly caucus lunch meeting, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) took questions on the Secret Service requesting $1 billion for security for President Trump's new White House ballroom, as well as the president's proposal pause the federal gas tax in response to increased gas prices due to the ongoing war with Iran. Senator Thune said the Secret Service "did a very good job" of explaining the case for why the money was needed for the ballroom, and that Republicans were "willing to hear" Mr. Trump's case for pausing the gas tax. Senator Thune also said work would begin the following week on Republican goals to pass a bill on Homeland Security Department funding via the reconciliation process. Budget reconciliation is a special parliamentary procedure in the Senate that allows fiscal legislation to pass with a simple majority of 51 votes rather than the 60 votes normally required to end debate.