Washington — Whether in Washington, D.C., or back in their home states, Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan and Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee are constantly on guard.
“Mr. Burchett and I are both people of strong faith, so I can say I put faith over fear every single day, and I continue to do this job,” Scholten told CBS News when asked if she feels safe.
“No, I don’t feel safe. But my head is on a swivel all the time,” Burchett added. “Trust, but verify.”
Nearly 9,500 threats and concerning statements were made against Congress in 2024, according to U.S. Capitol Police.
Under a new pilot program, lawmakers are getting a temporary increase of up to $20,000 for security upgrades at their homes, plus $5,000 per month to hire personal security.
The program was launched this month following a meeting before the summer recess between House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It runs through the 2025 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
“At the end of September, we’re going to look at that, evaluate all the data points, see how effective it was, how it was utilized, and then make decisions going forward,” Johnson told CBS News. “We have to protect member security and everybody who works here on the Hill.”
The program follows a wave of political violence, from the assassination attempt against President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, to a pair of shootings in June in Minnesota that killed Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and left another Democratic Minnesota lawmaker and his wife wounded.
Immediately following the Minnesota shootings, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Capitol Police to increase security for senators.
Scholten says that threats and shootings targeting politicians “is not a partisan issue,” noting that the Minnesota shootings occurred exactly eight years to the day that Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot and wounded at a Republican Congressional Baseball team practice.
Scholten has resumed public events in her Grand Rapids district. She had postponed a town hall after learning she and other congressional members were named to the Minnesota shooting suspect’s hit list.
“I was at home alone with my two kids, and I was terrified,” Scholten said of her reaction when she first learned of the Minnesota shootings. The suspect was not captured until nearly two days after the shootings.
“Obviously at home is where we’re most vulnerable,” Burchett said. “I was swatted. I’ve been accosted in airports.”
Burchett said he doesn’t know what lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can do to tone down the rhetoric, calling the situation “very difficult.”
“I think doing things like this, you know, coming together and recognizing areas in which we do have agreement,” Scholten said.
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