Sorry kids. Still no White House tours.
The Senate voted Wednesday afternoon to not reinstate White House tours until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2013.
Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-Okla.) amendment, which was defeated by a 54-45 vote, would have re-allocated $8 million of expired money from the heritage areas of National Park Service to fund White House tours and other government-related operations, such as allowing national parks to remain open during their normal hours.
“It will make a big difference in Yellowstone and all the rest of the national parks,” he said. “The National Park Service does have something to do with White House tours because they can take this money and reallocate it. It is not a Secret Service problem. It is a national park problem.”
After the White House decided to close its doors to the public due to sequestration, President Obama placed all blame on the Secret Service. Press Secretary Jay Carney then seemingly contradicted the President, telling reporters that the White House had made the call to cancel the tours.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said that since Sen. Coburn’s amendment did not specifically address re-opening tours, the passing of the bill would not help that.
“In addition there has been some suggesting that this would help restore White House tours,” Reed said. “Those tours are governed by the security service, which is not part of this amendment, so that would not be affected.”
The White House announced earlier this month that all tours would cease until further notice beginning March 9, saving the $18,000 per week it costs to operate tours was not an effective use of Secret Service funding.
The same day the White House announced they were canceling tours, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) introduced an amendment to the continuing resolution that would eliminate funding for President Barack Obama’s golf trips until the tours are reinstated. The House Rules Committee had other plans, however, approving a rule for the continuing resolution that prevented amendments from being considered.
The Golfer-in-Chief and his fans in the Senate are clearly not concerned with many freedoms formerly granted to the American people, like getting to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
