Congress has passed a bill that would give the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police power to "unilaterally" ask for support from the National Guard or federal law enforcement in the event of an emergency.
The Capitol Police Emergency Assistance Act passed the Senate and the House of Representatives by unanimous consent. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it into law.
The legislation allows the Capitol Police Chief to request help from the National Guard or federal law enforcement agencies during emergencies without prior approval of the Capitol Police Board, which includes the House and Senate sergeant-at-arms and the architect of the Capitol.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who sponsored the bill, said the January 6 attack on the Capitol "showed us that every minute counts during an emergency."
"Capitol Police officers and their law enforcement partners were left alone to defend the Capitol and our democracy itself from violent insurrectionists, while the Chief of the Capitol Police was delayed in obtaining approval to request help from the National Guard," Klobuchar said in a statement. "This legislation will help ensure the Capitol Police Chief has the authority needed to call for reinforcements at the Capitol swiftly during emergencies."
Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), who also sponsored the legislation, pointed to a bipartisan report on the insurrection, which he said "clearly demonstrated the need for the Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police to have more unilateral flexibility to quickly request assistance in an emergency."
The report released by the Rules and Homeland Security Committees in June showed that Capitol Police failed to plan ahead and request assistance from the National Guard prior to the January 6 attack despite receiving information about a possible threat. Because the National Guard was not "prepared to quickly respond" on January 6, troops didn't arrive at the Capitol until hours after the initial breach, leaving Capitol Police officers outnumbered during most of the attack.
"I have long been concerned that the structure of the Capitol Police Board creates unnecessary delays when swift, decisive action is needed," said Blunt. "This bipartisan bill addresses a major security challenge that was evident on January 6th, and is part of our ongoing effort to strengthen Capitol security moving forward."
Klobuchar and Blunt were joined in introducing the bill by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
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