Washington (CNN) - Ticket
holders for the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll are being warned
the annual event could be canceled if lawmakers can't agree on a measure
funding the federal government.
"Because we distribute tickets to the Easter Egg Roll far in advance,
we alerted all ticket holders that this event is subject to
cancellation due to funding uncertainty, including the possibility of a
government shutdown. However, we are currently proceeding as planned
with the Easter Egg Roll," a White House official told CNN.
A person familiar with the ticket confirmations said every attendee
received the same cancellation warning on their ticket confirmation,
including both members of Congress and those who won tickets through the
lottery.
A partial government shutdown would occur if Congress fails to extend
funding authorization by the March 27 deadline, something leaders from
both parties have said they'd like to avoid.
The Easter Egg Roll – an annual event featuring games, music and the
egg roll - is celebrating its 135th anniversary this year. It's slated
to take place April 1.
The White House announced earlier this month it was suspending public
tours through September 30 as a consequence of the forced spending
cuts-known as the "sequester."
The move quickly sparked controversy, with some Republicans arguing
the Obama administration was using the canceled tours as a political
ploy to draw up negative reaction from the American public over the
cuts.
The U.S. Secret Service told CNN that the plan will help the agency
save $74,000 per week – or $2 million over the next seven months, which
is the scheduled length of the ongoing forced budget cuts. That total
covers the cost of paying 37 uniformed officers $50 an hour for 40 hours
a week to secure the tour's route through the East Wing.
But that's just a fraction of the $84 million the Secret Service
needs to cut from its $1.6 billion budget, according to the Office of
Management and Budget. The officers normally assigned to the tours will
be reassigned to other duties at the White House.
