House members to get $10K monthly for security after Kirk killing
The article discusses the doubling of security stipends for U.S. House members following increased concerns about political violence, highlighted by the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. The personal private security pilot program stipend will increase from $5,000 to $10,000 per month, continuing through November 21, coinciding with a short-term goverment spending deal deadline. this pilot program was initially enacted in July after threats like the assassination of Minnesota Democratic state Speaker Melissa Hortman and the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Both Republicans and Democrats have shown concern over member safety, especially during outdoor events, with some members feeling current protections are insufficient. house Management Committee Chairman Rep. bryan Steil (R-WI) reported positive feedback on the program but noted members wont more resources. The increased funding aims to allow lawmakers to engage with constituents safely outside Washington, D.C.
This stipend increase is separate from other proposed security funding, including a $30 million mutual aid fund for law enforcement and tens of millions allocated for executive and judicial branch security. Despite bipartisan support for enhanced member security,House Democrats are unlikely to back the current spending bill without healthcare concessions,prompting them to propose a counter-plan with significantly higher security funding.
The money to ramp up the pilot program was repurposed from existing funds, while a long-term funding plan is being developed by legislative subcommittees. The effort reflects a growing emphasis on ensuring the safety of lawmakers and their families amid escalating political risks.
House members’ security budgets double after Charlie Kirk assassination
House lawmakers will see a stipend for personal private security double in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, with members on both sides of the aisle concerned about the rise in political violence.
The stipend for the personal security pilot program will increase from $5,000 to $10,000 a month. It will be active until Nov. 21, the same deadline for the short-term spending deal proposed by GOP leadership, which punts funding the government another seven weeks.
The $5,000 pilot program was set to expire on Sept. 30, which was enacted in July following the assassination of Minnesota Democratic state Speaker Melissa Hortman and a year after the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In the wake of Kirk’s shooting, both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns about holding outdoor events. Some have complained that leadership hasn’t done enough to keep members safe, as well.
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), chairman of the House Administration Committee, said Wednesday he’s received “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from members using the program, and that the only negative feedback is that “they’d like more resources.”
“So what we did is freed up already available funds and doubled the scope of the program and extended the timeline of the program,” Steil said.
He added that the purpose of increasing the program is to ensure members can go out into their states “talking to folks, talking to real-world people outside the swamp that is D.C., which is absolutely essential for our democracy.”
The new $10,000 stipend is separate from the $30 million proposed in the continuing resolution for a law enforcement mutual aid fund for members and $58 million for security for the executive and judicial branches.
Despite a bipartisan push for increased member security funding, its inclusion in the continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown is unlikely to sway House Democrats to vote for the bill, given that it does not include healthcare concessions as they’ve demanded.
Instead, Democrats have introduced a counter-CR proposal that would keep the $30 million mutual aid fund and include an additional $90 million for House enhanced security programs, $66.5 million for the Senate Sergeant at Arms, and $140 million for the Supreme Court and federal courts.
Steil said the funds to increase the pilot program stipend were previously allocated and have been repurposed to bump it up to $10,000. For a long-term solution, he said the legislative branch appropriations subcommittee is identifying “the appropriate funding level as we go forward.”
He said he’s had numerous conversations with members on the House floor about the security provisions.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL SHORT-TERM SPENDING DEAL WITH $30 MILLION BOOST FOR MEMBER SECURITY
“I think a lot of members are just looking and making sure that they understand what programs are available to them to keep them, their families, and others safe,” the Republican said.
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