The House on Thursday narrowly passed a nearly $2 billion spending package to bolster security in the Capitol in the wake of the destructive and deadly Jan. 6 riot.
Most Republicans opposed the measure, which passed 213-212, with three Democratic members voting “present” and three opposing the bill. GOP lawmakers cited duplicative spending and objected to a provision that adds the National Guard to the Capitol security force.
It passed a day after Democrats and 35 Republicans voted to create a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot.
“This bill is a first step toward having more security for the building that lodges the legislative branch of government,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat, said.
The Capitol perimeter has been protected by an 8-foot fence since shortly after Jan. 6. That day, hundreds of angry protesters supporting then-President Donald Trump pushed their way into the building, smashing doors and windows and injuring overwhelmed police officers in a quest to track down lawmakers voting to certify Joe Biden the winner of the presidential election.
Since that day, thousands of National Guard troops have been stationed on the campus for additional protection.
The measure lawmakers passed on Friday aims to replace the permanent fence and the daily presence of the National Guard with improved security and infrastructure that would make the Capitol more resistant to a Jan. 6-style attack.
The House vote was delayed. Democrats control a bare majority, and several liberal lawmakers objected to parts of the bill. Democratic leaders needed the time to twist arms within their own caucus since it appeared Republicans would vote against the bill and leave passage in jeopardy.
The measure would dedicate $529 million to harden the Capitol with stronger doors and windows as well as new screening vestibules for police. It would fund retractable or “pop-up” fencing that could be deployed quickly in the event of another riot.
The measure also includes more than $10 million for police equipment, including body cameras and riot gear, which officers said was lacking on the day of the riots and left them underequipped to fend off the rioters.
A provision in the measure would provide all officers with body cameras but would exclude those on protective detail for lawmakers, including the leadership.
Republicans objected to multiple spending provisions in the bill, among them $200 million to establish a “quick reaction force” within the D.C. National Guard that could be deployed to augment the Capitol Police if the campus came under threat.
At one point, there were 25,000 National Guard troops saturating the Capitol complex after Jan. 6. Only about 2,300 remain, and they are scheduled to leave the campus on May 23.
The top Republicans on both the Senate and House Armed Services panels said they object to employing the D.C. National Guard as a permanent part of the Capitol Security force, even if only for emergency use.
“Security of the Capitol Complex must remain the responsibility of federal civilian law enforcement,” House Armed Services Committee ranking member Mike Rogers, of Alabama, and Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member James Inhofe, of Oklahoma, said in a statement. “Use of the uniformed military in D.C. and the Capitol Complex is subject to complex statutory restrictions, and for good reason. We cannot and should not militarize the security of the Capitol Complex.”
The objections could complicate passage in the Senate, where 10 Republican senators must vote with all Democrats to advance the measure.
The measure would include $21.5 million for lawmaker security, including providing security for travel and in their districts.
Rep. Rodney Davis, of Illinois, warned the money could be used for security upgrades at the homes of lawmakers and could duplicate protections that had already been added for many members who felt threatened after Jan. 6.
“I have a feeling some of our constituents wouldn’t be happy with members of Congress being able to use tax dollars to make improvements that could increase the value of their homes in the name of security,” said Davis, the top Republican on the House Administration Committee.
The debate Friday included emotional testimony from lawmakers who feared for their lives that day. Lawmakers were in the chamber debating the certification of the election when the protesters stormed the building.
Members were told to “hit the floor” and don gas masks before police ushered them to a secure location.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the author of the bill and chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered an emotional closing argument, recalling how the chamber doors were shattered by the rioters and held shut by furniture. She called her husband during the melee, fearing it would be a final goodbye.
“This bill is not about politics, it’s not about settling scores,” the Connecticut Democrat said. “It’s about ensuring that every person who comes onto the Capitol grounds is safe and is protected. The funding is not optional, and this vote is not a show vote. It’s about protecting the seat of our democracy and the men, women, and the young people who work here.”
