Security coordination challenges emerge as Congress looks to boost protection following Kirk shooting
Each lawmaker's monthly security budget would increase from $5,000 to $10,000
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WASHINGTON _ Lawmakers are set to receive significantly more money for security following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but coordinating protection for 535 members of Congress is proving more complicated than expected, multiple sources told 24sight News.
The House plans to allocate $30 million for enhanced security, doubling what lawmakers can spend on personal protection from $5,000 to $10,000 monthly between Sept. 30 and Nov. 21. The funding increase comes as members report a notable rise in death threats in recent years.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), who serves on the House Administration Committee, said the coordination gets messy when multiple lawmakers attend the same events. He pointed to a recent nonprofit gathering where three House members and two administration officials each had different security arrangements.
“We need to define when we have these resources available to us,” Loudermilk said. “There were three members of Congress and two members of the administration. The administration had their own security—the director of the Small Business Administration and someone from the Department of Justice with federal protection service. What do we need to do? Extend two or four dignitary protection agents to the event just to be there for the three members of Congress?”
State laws add another layer of complexity when hiring private security.
“Different states have different laws,” Loudermilk noted. “In Georgia, to provide executive protection, you have to be a licensed private investigator and licensed to carry a firearm. I don’t know if that’s common everywhere, but if you’re hiring somebody, they should be certified somehow.”
The threats are hitting close to home for many lawmakers. Loudermilk described a recent incident at his Georgia office where “somebody totally covered in camo gear—hat, bandana covering their face, sunglasses—walking around our office, checking out security cameras. Highly suspicious.”
These kinds of incidents highlight how vulnerable lawmakers are in their districts, where they lack the security infrastructure available in Washington.
Local law enforcement resources are often stretched thin, making it harder for lawmakers to get help when they need it.
“We definitely need to look at what kind of resources we can have, because right now, our local law enforcement is already strapped,” Loudermilk said.
“They can’t afford the personnel to come out unless it elevates to a certain level. It took them 10 or 12 hours to send somebody out” during one recent incident. Even basic police presence can deter problems, he added, pointing to protestors planning to attend an October event planned at a private residence as an example of law enforcement deterring bad actors.
Loudermilk believes Congress needs to completely rethink district security. He’s proposing expanded authority for lawmakers to hire private security using their office budgets, though he acknowledged potential complications.
“If you’re paying for it with MRA, is there some liability that goes with it? Does there need to be a certification, and who pays for it? Once you start paying for it with MRA, security firms are going to jack up your prices,” he said.
Loudermilk said one potential solution could include creating regional Capitol Police offices modeled after the Federal Protective Service.
“Can we have regional offices from the Capitol Police that have resources like Federal Protective Service? They’re all over the country. Do we look at having regional offices like that, where you have badged, uniformed, and dignitary protection Capitol Police stationed in Atlanta, Nashville — regional areas? A lot of the rural folks don’t need it as much as those in metropolitan areas.”
Technology offers some immediate solutions that don’t require complex coordination. Recent policy changes allow lawmakers to purchase advanced home security systems, including cameras with voice recognition and sophisticated detection capabilities that can alert them to intruders which some have found valuable in protecting themselves and their families.
Loudermilk also wants better communication with Capitol Police about threats. He cited a disturbing incident where someone posted “sorry he missed” about the congressional baseball shooting, then referenced the fatal shooting of Minnesota state legislators. “They posted ‘sorry, they missed’ then posted that to me—that’s a direct threat, right? But you don’t hear anything back from Capitol Police. We need to work on communication back to members about what constitutes a threat.”
Not everyone believes more security is automatically the answer. A senior GOP operative cautioned that adding protection without proper coordination could create new problems.
“It’s a sad day that we even have to have this conversation,” the operative said. “There are ways to modernize and strengthen member security, but more isn’t always better. If you layer on protection without coordination, you could actually create new vulnerabilities. Just imagine a session day in Washington where every single member of Congress walks around with their own private security detail — the logistics of coordinating safety in that environment would be a nightmare. The goal should be smarter, not just more.”
Congressional leadership is encouraging members to use resources from a pilot program approved in July that provides enhanced funding for home and private security while directing the House Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police to better coordinate with local law enforcement.
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Can't help but think if lawmakers were more concerned with tending to America rather than their own reelections and power that srcurity concerns might be lessened. Crazies notwithstanding.