The Senate parliamentarian ruled Saturday that a $1 billion provision for White House security enhancements violates procedural budget rules, dealing a setback to Republican efforts to fund the measures through a spending package.

The decision by Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate's top parliamentary referee, removes funding that would have supported security additions to the White House campus, including money related to President Donald Trump's planned $400 million ballroom project.

Democratic lawmakers announced the parliamentarian's determination Saturday night, stating that the provision failed to comply with budget reconciliation rules. The funding was intended for the Secret Service to enhance security measures at the White House.

The ruling jeopardizes Republican plans to use the budget process to advance the White House security funding. Budget reconciliation allows certain spending measures to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote, avoiding the typical 60-vote threshold required for most legislation.

Democrats indicated they are prepared to challenge any attempts by Republicans to modify the bill to work around the parliamentarian's ruling. The setback adds uncertainty to the timeline for both the broader spending package and the specific White House security enhancements.

The parliamentarian's role is to interpret Senate rules and determine whether proposed legislation complies with procedural requirements, particularly in the complex budget reconciliation process.