On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved a $1.9 trillion bill to beef up security in the U.S. Capitol. The bill is set to go to the Senate, although it is unclear whether or not Senate lawmakers will take it up.
The bill was approved by the House by a close 213-212 vote.
Three House Democrats voted against the bill, including Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, and Ayanna Pressley. A joint statement from the trio stated, “This bill prioritizes more money for a broken system that has long upheld and protected the white supremacist violence we saw on display that day,” referring to the January 6 Capitol breach.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat, said, “This bill is not about politics. It’s not about settling scores. It’s about ensuring that every person who comes onto the Capitol grounds is safe and is protected. The funding is not optional.”
The bill would establish a crisis response team to aid Capitol Police in the event of an emergency, divert funding towards fortifying the doors and windows of the Capitol Complex, and provide Capitol Police with increased resources and overtime pay.
Many Republican lawmakers view the bill as partisan.
Representative Kay Granger said, “It also provides $200 million to establish a force within the D.C. National Guard to respond to incidents at the Capitol, raising serious concerns about the role of our military on American soil.”
The bill’s approval comes just after the Pentagon announced that the National Guard will leave the Capitol on May 23.
“We have received no request to extend it,” Department of Defense spokesperson John Kirby said about the Pentagon’s announcement.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell believes that the bill needs to be reworked before it is ready for the next step.
“We’re not sure what to spend the money on yet. So I think we are pushing the pause button here,” McConnell said.
