On September 18, Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a new spending bill with an additional $231 million of funding for the U.S. Secret Service. This short term continuing resolution (CR) is set to fund the government through December 20, just before the fiscal deadline, in order to avoid a government shutdown.
In a letter on Sunday, Johnson explained that while this may not have been the preferred solution, it is the most responsible path forward in the current circumstances. He also emphasized the importance of keeping the government fully functioning less than 40 days before a critical election, calling a shutdown “an act of political malpractice.”
Johnson had initially introduced a CR for six months, which also included the SAVE Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration. However, this bill was blocked by 14 Republicans and 206 Democrats who raised concerns about fiscal responsibility.
During a press call on Sunday, Republican House leadership staff made it clear that the speaker intends to avoid resorting to a spending omnibus, instead renegotiating a funding bill before Christmas.
The additional funding for the Secret Service comes just two months after the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and a week after the second attempt. In response to the second attempt, the House unanimously passed the Enhanced Presidential Security Act on Friday, which would provide additional protections for ‘major’ presidential and vice presidential candidates.
However, some Republican lawmakers have expressed reservations about giving the Secret Service more funding without addressing underlying issues within the agency. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida stated, “I will not support more funding until the Secret Service is restructured from the top down,” emphasizing the need for accountability and reform.
Similarly, Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said, “No more funding for the Secret Service,” and advocated for removing diversity and inclusion policies from the agency.
Despite these concerns, Johnson maintains that additional funding is just one aspect of reforming the Secret Service, and that all aspects of the agency are being evaluated. He stated, “I think it’s a matter of manpower allocation. We don’t want to just throw more money at a broken system.”
In July, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, and just two months later, another individual attempted to assassinate the former President while he was golfing in Florida.
It is clear that there have been significant failures within the Secret Service, and throwing more money at the problem will not solve the root issues. However, as Speaker Johnson stated, it is crucial to keep the government functioning and provide additional protections for presidential candidates in the midst of such alarming attempts on the life of a former President.
????WTF Breaking News: Mike Johnson just sacrificed a Fair & Honest 2024 election that would require proof of citizenship to vote, to reach a deal to avert a government shut-down through December 30th instead. He needs to Go! pic.twitter.com/8aWcgOs9cq
— Teagan1776???????? (@Teagan1776) September 22, 2024
This bill shows the willingness of Republican leadership to take necessary action in a timely manner to address such serious threats. We must continue to support and prioritize the safety of our leaders and the functioning of our government.