H.R. 8543 — Build the Ballroom Act

This section states congressional findings that White House space constraints prevent hosting formal events or state dinners for over 200 people, requiring off-site events that risk presidential security—including the 1981 shooting of President Reagan outside the Washington Hilton and the April 25, 2026, assassination attempt during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner—and expresses the sense of Congress that a secure ballroom should be built on White House grounds to address modern security concerns.

This section authorizes the President, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to construct a permanent ballroom on the grounds of the White House planned to meet the needs of the President and Executive Office of the President, approved solely by the President, including heating, electricity, and furniture, and involving removal of any applicable existing structures.