As House Speaker Mike Johnson convened lawmakers this week to honor Charlie Kirk, he captured both the deep sorrow gripping Capitol Hill and the undercurrent of fear permeating its halls.
“For so many of us, it has felt as if the ground was shaken,” said Johnson, R-La.
The killing of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, has rattled lawmakers across party lines, intensifying long-standing fears about personal safety in a volatile political climate where threats and calls for violence against rivals have grown alarmingly frequent.
In response to mounting safety concerns, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., secured unanimous approval Thursday night for a measure permitting senators to allocate office and staff funds toward security. Meanwhile, House members are also advocating for expanded security resources.
This marks a notable shift for lawmakers, who increasingly see participation in public life as demanding the same level of security once reserved for the president and Cabinet members.
“If you go back several years ago, people were like, ‘Yeah, I understand there’s a risk.’ But now it’s different. Our families are coming to us and saying, ‘OK, what are we gonna do?’ Our staff are coming to us and saying, ‘What are we gonna do?’” said Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.
What security do lawmakers have?
Unlike the president and senior executive officials, rank-and-file lawmakers often travel off Capitol Hill without security protection, leaving them reliant on the U.S. Capitol Police only while on campus. Some members supplement their safety by hiring private security, often funded through personal or campaign resources.
“Members of Congress receive much less security than many of the local officials back at home or judges,” said Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas. “Oftentimes, we have been the least secure.”
He said that “political violence is meant to silence us. And we can’t be silenced for the sake of democracy. And so, providing some level of safety and security for our members, I think, is key.”
Threat assessment cases handled by the U.S. Capitol Police have risen steadily over the past four years. The department reported more than 9,000 threats in 2024 and expects to manage approximately 14,000 by year’s end.
A push to increase security funding
“This is a national security issue. This is a big deal and we’re taking it very seriously,” said Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who joined a group of GOP lawmakers meeting multiple times with Speaker Johnson this week to advocate for increased security funding in the federal government’s budget package.
Luna noted that many lawmakers have been targeted with threats to themselves or their families, prompting active law enforcement investigations. Members say they now routinely contend with death threats, "swatting" incidents, bomb scares, and vandalism at their offices.
“We’ve been needing this,” Luna said. “The fact that it took for this to happen to even address this is crazy to me, but it needs to be dealt with.”
The government funding bill approved Friday by the Republican-led House includes roughly $88 million in additional security funding for lawmakers, as well as for members of the Supreme Court and the executive branch.
A temporary program providing a monthly security stipend for House members has doubled its funding, raising the allowance from $5,000 to $10,000 per member. The House Administration Committee established the program in July following the assassination of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband.
Under the program, House members can also allocate up to $20,000 for in-home security equipment.
The additional funding does not impact the president, who is covered by a separate Secret Service budget, nor the Capitol Police, which protects the Capitol complex—including the Capitol, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and numerous offices staffed by government and political officials.
“Federal judges have marshals. Obviously, the executive has federal law enforcement. Members of Congress are unprotected,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. “We’re in a heightened time of political violence,” Frost said, adding that he thought it was “ridiculous” that lawmakers had to use their personal or campaign funds to protect themselves.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., slammed GOP leadership for failing to allocate additional security funding, questioning whether they fully grasp the dangers confronting elected officials today.
“I just think it’s tough for leadership to understand they’re in their little protective bubble with security details and (Chevrolet) Suburbans. They don’t have to stand in line, they’re not in crowds, and then we’re out basically on our own with our families, and that’s a very scary proposition right now,” Burchett said.
Rep. Derek Van Orden, R-Wis., revealed that the FBI is investigating multiple death threats targeting his family and argued that such incidents should be treated as acts of terrorism. "We have security, but we need enhanced security," he said.
Utah Rep. Blake Moore, vice chair of the House Republican Conference, cited “large bicameral, bipartisan agreement that there needs to be more done.” He added: “It’s just finding that sweet spot to be fiscally responsible, but also make sure that we’re in a good spot.”
Working with local law enforcement
Moore highlighted the proactive response of local law enforcement in enhancing protections for lawmakers in their districts, praising their support.
Lawmakers reported regularly coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure officers are present at district events, but they often feel exposed while traveling between their home districts and Washington.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., is advocating for a "comprehensive" security strategy for all House members, including dedicated security personnel to accompany lawmakers on their travels.
She acknowledged that she had previously been reluctant to boost security, fearing it would create a barrier between herself and constituents. However, the recent high-profile killings of political figures, along with the 2011 shooting of her friend, then-Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., have convinced her that enhanced protection is essential.
“It’s really to me become a necessity to protect our constituents, to protect us, to protect our staff, our family members,” Wasserman Schultz said. “The risk is too great.”
