Members of Congress demand immediate funding for Capitol Police, but face headwinds in the Senate Marianna Sotomayor Members of Congress are sounding the alarm over the need to immediately fund the U.S. Capitol Police and National Guard or risk both security departments running out of money, potentially leading to hundreds of furloughs and cuts that would mark the latest setback for the forces after a tumultuous year. Money allotted yearly to an account that pays for the thousands of Capitol Police officers is running out faster than in previous years because of overtime incurred by officers after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The end of the fiscal year is Sept. 30, but Congress has been unable to pass all appropriation bills through both chambers by that date for the past several years, delaying necessary funding to keep the Capitol safe.
Members of Congress demand immediate funding for Capitol Police, but face headwinds in the Senate
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Protesters clash with police outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Washington Post)
WASHINGTON Members of Congress are sounding the alarm over the need to immediately fund the U.S. Capitol Police and National Guard or risk both security departments running out of money, potentially leading to hundreds of furloughs and cuts that would mark the latest setback for the forces after a tumultuous year.
Money allotted yearly to an account that pays for the thousands of Capitol Police officers is running out faster than in previous years because of overtime incurred by officers after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The end of the fiscal year is Sept. 30, but Congress has been unable to pass all appropriation bills through both chambers by that date for the past several years, delaying necessary funding to keep the Capitol safe.
Roll Call:
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Leaders in the House are raising the alarm that the sluggish growth of staffer pay makes recruiting and retaining talented staff difficult and are urging appropriators to include a 20 percent increase for office budgets for fiscal 2022.”
“….Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries wrote to Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro and Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Ryan advocating for the boost to the Members’ Representational Allowance in the upcoming Legislative Branch spending bill.”
“‘Many have been serving as Congressional staff for years out of a deep sense of duty, choosing not to pursue or accept competitive offers from the private sector in order to remain in public service,’ wrote Hoyer and Jeffries. ‘
The United States Capitol Police Office of Inspector General released a preliminary report regarding the department s "deficiencies" in the buildup to the Jan. 6 riot that left five dead and wounded nearly 140 officers.
US Capitol Police watchdog issues scathing report on January 6 failures
The United States Capitol Police’s Inspector General has issued a scathing preliminary report about the department’s “deficiencies” leading up to the January 6 riot that left five people dead and nearly 140 law enforcement officers injured.
A source familiar with the report told CNN that Inspector General Michael Bolton found that the department failed to send out intelligence the agency possessed as early as December 30 suggesting January 6 protestors may have been “inclined to become violent,” adding that the department did not prepare a detailed plan directing all aspects of Capitol Police force.