Luján, Duckworth Lead Colleagues in Urging Republican Leadership to Bolster Capitol Security, Fully Reimburse Law Enforcement and National Guard

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led a group of their colleagues in calling on Republican Leadership to support an emergency security supplemental to make necessary security improvements to the U.S. Capitol Complex and support the U.S. Capitol Police, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement that responded to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. 

Joining Senators Luján and Duckworth in the letter to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) are U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

The Senators wrote, “We write to urge you to support an emergency security supplemental to support the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), the National Guard, the Capitol Complex, and other federal law enforcement that experienced unanticipated costs as a result of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and the response efforts deployed in its aftermath.”

“We, therefore, strongly urge you to support and pass H.R. 3237 or S. 2311, introduced by Appropriations Chairman Leahy this week, to deliver on our commitment to the thousands of officers and service members we have charged with defending our Capitol,” the Senators continued. “We are grateful for the Guard members, law enforcement, and public safety personnel that are working tirelessly to keep us safe.”

The Senators noted that the Republican proposal to reimburse the USCP and National Guard fails to reimburse all costs associated with the response efforts by federal law enforcement, provide funding to increase the capacity and resource needs of the USCP, or invest in making necessary security improvements to the Capitol Complex.

Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Minority Leader McConnell and Vice Chairman Shelby,

We write to urge you to support an emergency security supplemental to support the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), the National Guard, the Capitol Complex, and other federal law enforcement that experienced unanticipated costs as a result of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and the response efforts deployed in its aftermath. While we are pleased you have released a proposal to reimburse the USCP and National Guard, this proposal falls short of meeting Congress’s obligation to provide robust funding to these institutions.

As you are aware, the USCP face a funding cliff to pay their officers after months of increased overtime and equipment costs that have depleted their budget. We appreciate that the Republican proposal reimburses the unanticipated costs related to salary and overtime expenses for the U.S. Capitol Police, but it fails to reimburse all costs associated with the response efforts. It does not provide critical funding to increase the capacity and resource needs of Capitol Police, nor does it provide funds to make necessary security improvements to the Capitol Complex. Congress has a responsibility to protect the institution and grounds of the Capitol, support the officers sworn to protect it, and fund any and all efforts that ensure that the events of January 6th are never again repeated. 

Likewise, following the January 6th insurrection, Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard from across the country deployed to defend our democratic institutions and ensure a peaceful transfer of power by protecting the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden. The 26,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard who mobilized were effective in their mission. They increased security, protected our democratic institutions, and deterred further violence. The funding for the National Guard’s mission at the Capitol came from their operational and training budgets, costing an estimated $521 million. The financial strain of this mobilization impacts every state and the territories. If each state’s National Guard is not reimbursed by August, they will not have adequate funding to conduct the fourth quarter of their training plans or to pay Soldiers and Airmen.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, remarked that without reimbursement, the Guard will face a “significant negative impact on their ability to maintain their readiness.” The National Guard Bureau has provided to Members of Congress a detailed assessment of the substantial negative impacts of canceling training. We urge you to review this data in order to fully recognize the significant problem this funding shortfall poses to Guard units from all states and territories. In addition to impacting readiness, the cancelation of fourth quarter training could mean that some service members do not meet annual requirements for the year of service to count toward retirement and pension benefits. This would impact their livelihoods for years to come. 

It has been more than a month since the House of Representatives passed H.R.3237, the Emergency Security Supplemental to Respond to January 6th Appropriations Act, which  reimburses the U.S. Capitol Police, the Capitol Complex, and the National Guard, and provides the necessary resources to ensure an attack like January 6th can never happen again. We, therefore, strongly urge you to support and pass H.R. 3237 or S. 2311, introduced by Appropriations Chairman Leahy this week, to deliver on our commitment to the thousands of officers and service members we have charged with defending our Capitol. We are grateful for the Guard members, law enforcement, and public safety personnel that are working tirelessly to keep us safe.

Sincerely,

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