Top House Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Joe Morelle, have pressed Speaker Mike Johnson to increase funding for security measures for lawmakers, following the weekend shootings of Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota. The request comes amid a sharp rise in threats against Congress, with lawmakers expressing concern over recent events that have raised alarms. In a letter obtained by POLITICO, Jeffries and Morelle emphasized the urgent need for immediate action to ensure the safety of House members. They urged Johnson to direct the Sergeant at Arms to take all necessary steps to protect members across the country, while also calling for a substantial increase in the Member Representational Allowance (MRA) to support better safety and security measures in each office.
The MRA is the funding each House lawmaker receives to cover staff salaries, security expenses, and operational costs. Enhancing this fund would allow members to invest more in security without affecting payroll, though any increase would require congressional action. Currently, lawmakers can use taxpayer funds to purchase bulletproof vests and other security equipment, as well as hire security personnel for events like town halls, guard district offices during business hours, and accompany them on official business. However, the increased demand for security has led to calls for more financial support for these measures. A spokesperson for Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Following the 2017 shooting at a House Republican practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game, security for lawmakers was deemed an ‘ordinary and necessary reimbursable expense’ under the Committee on House Administration and Congressional Handbook. Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, leading to the establishment of satellite offices by Capitol Police after the Jan. 6 insurrection in order to address these threats. Lawmakers have been particularly concerned since revelations that other Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), and Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), were named on lists connected to the suspect in the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.
Jeffries and Morelle, who are also the top Democrats on the House Administration Committee, argue that member safety must be an ‘area of common ground’ with Republicans, citing ongoing threats affecting members of both parties. ‘We must act to protect each other and preserve this great American institution,’ they wrote in the letter to Johnson.