Congressional Security Questioned Following Attack

Congressional Security Questioned Following Attack

Members of Congress spoke out about needing more security following the shooting rampage that injured five people.

  • Jun 15, 2017

The security of members of Congress is drawing scrutiny after a shooting that wounded a top Republican lawmaker who had protection that isn’t typically afforded to Capitol Hill’s rank and file.

Capitol Police officers were at the congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Va., as part of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise’s security detail when 66-year-old James Hodgkinson began to open fire into the diamond.

Many Republicans who were attending the practice have hailed the Capitol police officers, identified as Crystal Griner and David Bailey, as heroes for tackling the shooter and risking their lives to stop more injures. Sen. Rand Paul said the event would have been an all-out massacre had the two police officers not been in attendance at the baseball team’s practice.

A former Secret Service agent told the Boston Herald that it is a numbers game when it comes down to protecting the lawmakers on the Hill.

“A very, very limited number of these guys have protection at all — it’s mostly just leadership,” said Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent. “The problem you run into is: Even if they had a threat tomorrow morning against 20 or 30 members, they’re resource-constrained. If you remove someone from a door and put them on a congressman, there’s no one at the door.”

Many lawmakers have asked if they can use funds from their campaigns or out of the pockets to pay for personal protection.

In addition to the attack on Republican congressional members, many lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are seeing an influx of threating emails and letters. Several Democratic representatives said they had received threats saying, “You guys are next” following the shooting in Alexandria.

The Capitol Police has told representatives that they will follow up on “leads” but some are uncertain based on the amount of threats coming into several members daily.

Increased officers could be seen on the Hill for hours after the shooting on June 14, but only time will tell if this was just out of “an abundance of caution” given the mornings events, or if the security is there to stay.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.