House members will have the ability to obtain thousands worth in security for their homes as lawmakers continue to face threats, according to an email obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
House Sergeant at Arms (SAA) William J. Walker wrote to all members and their staff Monday announcing the creation of a residential security program on Aug. 15. The SAA intends to subsidize some security system equipment and installation costs for the residences of lawmakers, according to the email.
“This program will strengthen the security of Members of the House of Representatives and their families,” Walker wrote in the email.
Motion sensors, video recorders, indoor cameras, outdoor cameras and locks are some of the appliances eligible for the program. The SAA will also pay up to $150 per month for maintenance and monitoring of appliances, according to the email.
Walker’s email comes on the heels of Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin getting nearly stabbed at a campaign event Thursday upon a man attacking him with a blade. Another man was arrested outside Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s home in early June for allegedly threatening to murder the congresswoman. (RELATED: Man Who Allegedly Tried To Stab Rep. Lee Zeldin Let Out Of Jail)
U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) said in 2021 there had been an 107% surge in threats against members compared to in 2020 — with roughly 10,000 threats against lawmakers being reported in 2021.
USCP did not offer any details about the nature of the reported threats or what it believes is behind the increase. USCP is working on hiring around 280 more officers by September, according to CBS News.
SULHAMSTEAD, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 01: The CCTV cameras at the Bull Inn in Stanford Dingley, which were pointed out, during the Old Bailey jury site visit to scene where Pc Andrew Harper died on July 1, 2020 in Sulhamstead, United Kingdom. Henry Long, 19, Albert Bowers, 18, and Jessie Cole, 18, are appearing at the Old Bailey in London, where they are accused of murdering the 28-year-old police officer who was dragged behind a car after responding to a reported quad bike theft in August 2019. (Photo by Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
SAA’s are elected each Congress in both the House and the Senate, and are responsible for being the chief law enforcement officer for their respective chamber.
The SAA, which oversees eight divisions including House Security and Emergency Management, will receive more than $38 million in fiscal appropriations funding in 2023. Funding for next year is $11 million more than in 2022.
The SAA declined a request for comment.
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