House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Joe Morelle, the top-ranked Democrat on the House Committee on Administration, want Speaker Mike Johnson to take steps to increase security for House members in Washington and in their districts and to “substantially increase” money available for members to take additional security precautions in the wake of the shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses in Minnesota on Saturday.
“We strongly urge you to immediately direct the Sergeant at Arms to take all necessary steps to protect House members throughout the country,” Jeffries and Morelle wrote in a joint letter. “At the same time, it is imperative that we substantially increase the Member Representational Allowance (MRA) to support additional safety and security measures in every single office.”
Senators will be briefed by law enforcement on safety and security on Tuesday. And Democrats in the House, which is on recess this week, are scheduled to receive a virtual briefing from law enforcement officials Tuesday afternoon.
MORE: Chilling details emerge in Minnesota shootings as Vance Boelter faces federal charges: ‘Stuff of nightmares’
House Republicans held a conference call, which was described as “tense,” on Saturday with the House sergeant at arms and U.S. Capitol Police to discuss their concerns, multiple sources familiar with the call told ABC News. Several Republicans said on the one-hour call that they feel unsafe in their home districts and want more protection, sources said.
The key source of contention in particular was the request of police outside their homes at all times and law enforcement authorities saying they need more funding from Congress to provide that.
Senators will be briefed by the Senate sergeant at arms and Capitol Police on Tuesday morning, two sources familiar told ABC News, after it was requested by Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
House Democrats are expected to have a similar call in the coming days. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement Saturday that he asked the sergeant at arms and Capitol Police to “ensure the safety” of the Minnesota delegation and members of Congress “across the country.”
While House and Senate leadership are provided with a security detail, rank-and-file members are not routinely protected unless there is a specific threat.
MORE: ‘We need to bring the tone down’: Lawmakers respond to attacks on Minnesota officials
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that political violence is a “rampant problem.” Fellow Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith told NBC News on Sunday, “I don’t want to think that I have to a personal security detail everywhere I go, but I think we really have to look at the situation that we’re in.
“This is no way for our government to work when people, any number of us, feel this kind of threat,” she said.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz said he might force a vote on a “secret session” in the House to discuss security and so that “members can handle this ourselves.”
Vance Boelter, 57, faces multiple federal charges in the killing of Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in “political assassinations,” acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said Monday.
In a 20-page affidavit, prosecutors outlined how they say Boelter “embarked on a planned campaign of stalking and violence, designed to inflict fear, injure and kill members of the Minnesota state legislature and their families.” He allegedly had firearms and a list of 45 elected officials, “mostly or all Democrats,” according to prosecutors. Authorities say Boelter traveled to the homes of at least four public officials during the early morning hours of Saturday before the killings.
Michigan Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten on Monday postponed a town hall event after learning she was “on a list connected to the recent tragic shooting in Minnesota.”
“Out of an abundance of caution and to not divert additional law enforcement resources away from protecting the broader public at this time, this is the responsible choice,” Scholten said in a statement.
Ohio Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman also said he was told by Capitol Police that his name was on the suspect’s list and that the Cincinnati Police Department quickly increased security for him and his family over the weekend.
Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan told ABC News that he and fellow Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore were both named in the suspect’s writings. Pocan, who represents the Madison area, said he was notified by law enforcement on Sunday and “that was it” — there was no change to the posture of his personal security.
Michigan Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar, who has authored articles of impeachment against Trump, said he was also told he was named by the suspect. The second-term congressman said that “precautions are being taken” to ensure his safety, as well as that of his staff.
The number of threats and “concerning statements” against members of Congress, their families and staffs has risen for the past two years, according to Capitol Police, which pointed out that threats tend to increase during election years. The Capitol Police’s Threat Assessment Section investigated 9,474 threats and statements in 2024 and 8,008. It investigated 3,939 cases in 2017.
ABC News’ Isabella Murray and John Parkinson contributed to this report.
Top House Democrats call for more funding for security following Minnesota shootings originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
