After Shooting, Congress Grapples with heightened Security Concerns
WASHINGTON – Following the shooting of a congressional staffer in Maryland last week, lawmakers are increasingly focused on personal security, sparking debate over how too balance accessibility with safety and prompting a reevaluation of security protocols on Capitol Hill. The incident has ignited a new cycle of fear among members of Congress, with some calling for increased protection and others warning against retreating from public engagement.
The Secret Service has also increased security measures for President Trump. A ceremony commemorating the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, originally scheduled at the pentagon on Thursday, was relocated to a more secure location to accommodate a speech by the former president, according to the Wall Street journal. Additional security will be in place when Trump attends a New York Yankees game Thursday night, the Secret Service confirmed.
The shooting has fueled a split in opinion regarding the appropriate response. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) argued against curtailing public appearances,stating,”It’s significant that I continue to go out and do what I would normally do. You don’t want to give into a culture of fear and withdraw.”
though, other lawmakers expressed frustration with what they perceive as a lack of preparedness from congressional leadership. Representative Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) told reporters,”we’ve got to re-evaluate what we’re doing. I think we better start taking it serious. And our leadership is woefully ill-prepared… They’re surrounded in their little protective bubble, and they look at us, and it’s been weeks after the last incident before we ever got anything.” He added his concern that “something really bad is going to happen before we get something done up here.”
The decisions Congress makes in the coming weeks will likely determine the extent to wich lawmakers engage with the public and whether voters will maintain the same level of access to their representatives that has historically characterized american politics.
Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida), who has personally received death threats, revealed the growing anxiety among his colleagues. “People are scared to death in this building,” he told reporters. “Not many of them will say it publicly, but they’re running to the Speaker talking about security.”
