It’s about time.
The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bipartisan bill aimed at enhancing U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protections for presidential and vice presidential candidates, following two thwarted assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump. The legislation received an impressive 405 to 0 vote, demonstrating rare bipartisan cooperation.
Introduced by Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), the bill was prompted by a shooting incident at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. A 20-year-old gunman fired at the rally from a nearby rooftop, resulting in one death and injuring Trump along with two others. Shortly after, USSS agents apprehended an individual with a rifle who was waiting near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.
If the Senate approves the bill and President Biden signs it into law, it will require a thorough review of USSS protective protocols and establish uniform security standards for presidents, vice presidents, and significant White House candidates. During the debate on the legislation, Lawler emphasized the need for swift federal action, arguing that the integrity of elections should not be jeopardized by violence.
Progressive Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) expressed his support for the bill but highlighted that it would be ineffective without more stringent gun control measures. He pointed out the ongoing issue of gun violence, which claims over 100 American lives daily. In response, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) criticized Nadler for attributing the assassination attempts to Republicans, calling such statements absurd.
The bill’s criteria for classifying “major” candidates remain unclear. Nonetheless, it signifies an important step toward enhancing the safety of individuals running for the nation’s highest offices.
