The top Republican and Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee declared Thursday there is no need for the National Guard at the U.S. Capitol, jointly calling for a “measured drawdown.”
“We are deeply troubled by the current level of security around the United States Capitol,” Chairman Adam Smith of Washington and ranking member Mike Rogers of Alabama said in a statement.
NATIONAL GUARD CHIEF DISAGREED WITH AUSTIN’S DECISION TO EXTEND PRESENCE AT CAPITOL
“It’s time for us to review what level of security is required, so they can return home to their families and communities,” the duo wrote more than two months after pro-Trump rioters breached the Capitol on Jan. 6. “The present security posture is not warranted at this time.”
The two leaders acknowledged that “some level of support from the National Guard should remain” in the capital region to respond to “credible threats against the Capitol” while the U.S. Capitol Police builds its personnel capacity.
The lawmakers also drew attention to the cost, which had been estimated at $483 million for the original mission end date Friday, but will now cost taxpayers at least half a billion dollars with the mission extension until May 23.
The Pentagon has recently stated that the extension granted is totally not threat-based, but Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told the Washington Examiner Thursday the authorization is needed to “buy [Capitol Police] some time and space” to start fixing problems that helped the pro-Trump mob overrun the police force.
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The Capitol Police have not yet responded to requests from the Washington Examiner about what transition plan may or may not be in place to wean the force off National Guard personnel.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the full Capitol Police request Tuesday night after five days of review. The DOD also dodged a question from the Washington Examiner earlier this week as to whether threat intelligence was part of the request.
