Latest news with #HouseAdministrationCommittee
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
House lawmakers are now getting $5,000 a month for personal security guards
If you're a lawmaker looking to purchase a new home security system, now's the time to do it. The House Administration Committee announced on Tuesday that members of the House of Representatives can now spend $20,000 on home security improvements with public funds, up from $10,000 before. They're also getting $5,000 a month to spend on personal security, including hired security guards, back in their home states. That's an increase from just $150 before, and it's set to last through September 30, the end of the fiscal year. The change is coming days before the House heads home for the August recess, when many lawmakers will be back in their districts and interacting with constituents, including at town halls. Politicians have been able to spend campaign funds on personal security, and many of them already do. Wealthier lawmakers may choose to hire security with their own money as well. The changes come a month after two Minnesota state lawmakers were shot in their homes in what the Department of Justice has called "targeted political assassinations." The speaker of the Minnesota House, Melissa Hortman, died of her injuries along with her husband Mark. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot, but survived. Other lawmakers have faced threats to their lives in recent months. The most recent was Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, whose Bronx office was vandalized after she voted against an amendment to a defense spending bill that would have struck funding for Israel's "Iron Dome" defensive missile system. A spokesman for the congresswoman, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, said on X on Monday that her office had "received multiple threats on the Congresswoman's life and we are treating this seriously with our security partners to make sure she, our staff, and volunteers are safe."
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
House beefs up security funds for lawmakers
House leaders are beefing up security measures and funding for members of the chamber as political violence and threats have shaken lawmakers preparing to leave for their August recess. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) announced the changes to Republican members on Tuesday in their last conference meeting ahead of the August recess. The changes are effective immediately. Johnson, who added that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also informed his members of the changes on Tuesday, told reporters that the changes are part of a 'pilot program' over the next two months. After September, Johnson said, leaders will 'evaluate all the data points, see how effective it was, how it was utilized, and then make decisions going forward.' Included in the changes is a doubling of the amount of funds members may use to install security equipment at their personal residences, from $10,000 to $20,000. A one-pager from the House Administration Committee distributed to member offices explaining the change said the boost was to 'allow for a more comprehensive suite of security equipment' and 'address rising costs in security equipment since the start of the program.' Members have had access to those lifetime 'Residential Security Program' funds since the program was established in August 2022, when Democrats controlled the House and faced an increase in threats in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. There is also a drastic increase in the 'monitoring and maintenance allotment' for members, who would be allowed to use it to hire licensed and insured personal security guards. The allotment is increasing from $150 to $5,000 per month for the remainder of fiscal year 2025, which ends on Sept. 30, according to the one-pager. 'Security personnel could accompany the Member in their district or home states or protect the Member's residence. The Member would choose the proposed individual or company and certify that they are appropriately licensed and insured. Like the current Residential Security model, the Member would personally enter the contract and have the option of reimbursement or direct payment,' the one-pager said. And finally, the House Administration Committee said Capitol Police will be directed to work with local law enforcement agencies to coordinate and provide additional protection for members 'should a threat arise,' and that Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan will be asked to 'draft a letter to the National Association of Chiefs of Police requesting their support in protecting Members.' The changes come a month after a man shot and killed a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, and shot another lawmaker in Minnesota, rattling lawmakers and renewing calls for increased security for members. The U.S. Capitol Police said in February that threats against members of Congress more than doubled from 2017 to 2024. The agency said it investigated more than 9,474 'concerning statements and direct threats' against lawmakers, their families and staff in 2024. 'We live in an enhanced threat environment,' Johnson said, also mentioning an intern for Sen. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) who was shot and killed in Washington, D.C. this month. 'Just an unspeakable tragedy,' Johnson told reporters. 'This is a dangerous city, and it begs the question about what Congress might need to do with regard to D.C. and the crime. But all these things are related. We have to protect member security and everybody who works here on the hill, so be careful.'
Politico
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
This Former Congressman Survived Political Violence. He Carried a Gun ‘To Fire Back.'
In the aftermath of the assassination of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman over the weekend, members of Congress are increasingly worried about their safety and how to better protect themselves in a toxic political environment. Former Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) is the rare figure who has been both a victim of political violence and a key player in overseeing the protection of elected officials. A survivor of the 2017 congressional baseball shooting where Majority Leader Steve Scalise was badly wounded — Davis was at home plate when the gunman opened fire from behind third base — the former Illinois congressman later became the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, which oversees security arrangements for members of the House of Representatives. Davis, who now serves as a head of government affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, lost his 2022 primary after redistricting put him in the same district as his Donald Trump-endorsed Republican colleague, Mary Miller. As a result of the congressional shooting — which happened precisely eight years to the day of Hortman's death — the former Illinois congressman says he now carries a gun when he can 'in order to fire back if somebody decides to come and kill me and my friends again.' This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. What was your reaction to hearing about the shooting in Minnesota especially given that it was the eight-year anniversary of the congressional baseball shooting? It brings back the memories of that day and watching my friends and wondering whether or not they were going to survive their shots. But at the same time, you begin to understand that there are just some bad people out there that are triggered for whatever reason, that they're going to save the world by killing others. And I don't get it. Never got it that day, never got it afterwards, and I still don't understand it today in Minnesota. How did the shooting change how you dealt with constituents and appearing in public for events? Well, it changed me personally. Even in private events, where I'm much more secure, I carry a gun, where I am able to, in order to fire back if somebody decides to come and kill me and my friends again. I'm much more aware of the security situation. I'm sitting here in London right now and working with the security officials that are on this trip that I'm a part of. And I always find myself walking at the end or watching our surroundings. I didn't pay as much attention to that before June 14 of 2017, but I do now. How much does the congressional baseball shooting serve as a dividing line for your service in Congress? Well, it was more of a divider immediately afterward, because the tension for Republicans in targeted districts like mine during the 2018 cycle was so immense. But then, you know, the tension went down with COVID and went down in 2022, so you don't think about it as much. But I'm a big believer in the Second Amendment, and, in my old district, I exercised my rights to be able to carry a firearm to protect myself and people wouldn't know it. I did not do that before the baseball shooting but I never wanted to feel like I couldn't fire back again. I've talked to one of your former colleagues who said he had to wear a bulletproof vest before appearing in a parade. Did things ever reach that level for you? I never had to do that, but I was more aware of security, and we would coordinate with local law enforcement a lot more when we did events, especially during the heightened tension of 2017 and 2018. Then, ironically, the tension went down in a presidential race. I never understood that, other than COVID, when people weren't out as much, but it just seems to me that the political atmosphere determines the security risk. And that's unfortunate, and that's what we have to address. How do you handle this practically since it's hard to give every member of Congress their own security detail? There are ways that member offices can work with local law enforcement to have flexibility to pay for security when there are more high-risk events. I never felt insecure going out to dinner in my hometown of Taylorville, Illinois. So I wouldn't have needed a security detail there. But parades in certain areas of the district, or more of a public town hall type of event, we were more cognizant of the security needs. But it doesn't negate the fact that you have, as a public official, threats on your lives that never get publicity. My wife would come home from work, and the kids would come home from school when I was in office, and they would immediately call me and say, 'Dad. Why is there a sheriff's car parked in front of the house?' 'Yeah, somebody threatened to blow Dad's head off again today. So I'm making sure you guys have some protection if this is serious.' Now, those are the types of things that really have an impact on families, that have an impact on people wanting to serve in office and that, to me, is the key fact that goes unnoticed. After the shooting, you became the top Republican on the House Administration Committee. How big of an issue was member security for you in that position? It's a major issue for us. We wanted to address every security issue there was. And in my case, anytime I would have a threat, we would have the Capitol Police work with local law enforcement, and local law enforcement would take care of things back home. I never had a detail based on my threats. While I was in DC, my threats were always at home, and there's a gentleman who threatened to blow my head off one morning after clearly a night of drinking that now he has a felony on his record. Because another aspect of this is you have to prosecute those who make stupid decisions to actually deter stupid decisions, and no one ever threatened to blow my head off again after somebody got a felony on their record and it was publicized. You can have all the security in the world. But at the same time, we have to remember things are different back home, and that's where that coordination between the Capitol Police and local law enforcement has to be seamless, and that's where I think we can do a better job to make that happen in the future. And is that on Capitol Police, local law enforcement or members to make that work? It's everyone. I mean, when you think about it, there are plenty of times where I never would have thought a threat would have existed back home, because it's home. And after the baseball shooting, we became more aware. And you know, local law enforcement was more than willing to help, and you have to be able to make that coordinated effort. How much does dealing with security matter versus dealing with the political environment that has produced such an increase in threats and violence? We have to deal with the environment. I mean, you know, when you have a CEO of a company like United Healthcare assassinated in New York, you can't have politicians like [Massachusetts Sen.] Elizabeth Warren saying, 'You know, it's a tragedy. But.' There shouldn't be this immediate reaction, 'Oh, wait, I'm okay with this because I wear a red shirt,' or 'I'm okay with this because I wear a blue shirt.' And that's the message that I tried to send immediately after the baseball shooting when I got back to the Capitol that day. And the message was we have to stop villainizing everyone, Republicans or Democrats. We have to do what we can as former elected officials or elected officials to be able to call that out, regardless if they're on your team or not. Is it possible to do that at this point? There's no other option.
Axios
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Jeffries presses Johnson for more funds to protect lawmakers
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and one of his top deputies are urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to "substantially" increase the amount of money give to House offices for security. Why it matters: The plea comes as a growing number of House Democrats are revealed to have been named in documents allegedly belonging to Vance Boelter, the suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. Jeffries and House Administration Committee ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) wrote to Johnson urging him to direct the House sergeant-at-arms to "take all necessary steps to protect House members throughout the country." They also called for Congress to "substantially increase" the Members' Representational Allowance — funds given to each congressional office for salaries, supplies and security. The big picture: The map of possible targets is growing increasingly far flung, with the names of lawmakers from Ohio and even Texas found in the papers. The shooting has alarmed members of Congress in both parties and reignited efforts to secure more security resources for rank-and-file lawmakers. A spokesperson for Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.
Boston Globe
11-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Trump administration fires top copyright official days after firing Librarian of Congress
Hayden named Perlmutter to lead the Copyright Office in October 2020. Perlmutter's office recently released a report examining whether artificial intelligence companies can use copyrighted materials to 'train' their AI systems. The report, the third part of a lengthy AI study, follows a review that began in 2023 with opinions from thousands of people including AI developers, actors and country singers. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In January, the office clarified its approach as one based on the 'centrality of human creativity' in authoring a work that warrants copyright protections. The office receives about half a million copyright applications per year covering millions of creative works. Advertisement 'Where that creativity is expressed through the use of AI systems, it continues to enjoy protection,' Perlmutter said in January. 'Extending protection to material whose expressive elements are determined by a machine ... would undermine rather than further the constitutional goals of copyright.' The White House didn't return a message seeking comment Sunday. Advertisement Democrats were quick to blast Perlmutter's firing. 'Donald Trump's termination of Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, is a brazen, unprecedented power grab with no legal basis,' said Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee. Perlmutter, who holds a law degree, was previously a policy director at the Patent and Trademark Office and worked on copyright and other areas of intellectual property. She also previously also worked at the Copyright Office in the late 1990s. She did not return messages left Sunday. Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen contributed to this report from Chicago.
