House Democrats this week are pushing for legislation to ban lawmakers from carrying firearms anywhere on Capitol Hill – an old idea that is gaining new attention in the fraught days since the deadly attack on the Capitol earlier this month.
Sponsored by representatives. Jared Huffman
Jared William Huffman House Democrats Try To Block West Coast, Arctic Offshore Drilling Tensions Rise After Gun Incident At House Floor Scars From Capitol Attack Pervades High-Security Inauguration MORE and Jackie Speier
Karen (Jackie) Lorraine Jacqueline Speier Overnight: Biden Lifts Trump’s Military Transgender Ban | Democrats, advocates celebrate end of ban | 5,000 security guards staying in Washington until mid-March Calls grow for 9/11-style panel to investigate Capitol attack Global Gag Rule is just the tip of the iceberg: why Helms amendment repeal is more important, both California Democrats, the proposal would repeal a decades-old rule that exempts lawmakers from an otherwise outright ban on guns across the Capitol.
The legislature’s carve-out has been in effect since 1967, and members of both parties have quietly used it over the decades, with virtually no incident.
But the issue has been taken to new heights this year after a handful of House Republicans, most of them new to Congress, have expressed a desire to bring hidden firearms to the chamber floor, where current guidelines prohibit it.
Those rhetorical threats to defy the rules – combined with an episode last week when Capitol Police agents stepped in to kill Rep. Andy Harris
Andrew (Andy) Peter Harris Rep. Bush says she is moving Greene’s office for safety. Maryland lawmakers ask Biden to honor Capital Gazette that shoots victims with Presidential Medal of Freedom Rachel Maddow: GOP has joined a ‘marginal, violent, extremist criminal movement’ (R-Md.) From bringing a gun into the room – has heightened urgency among Democratic arms reformers to extend the firearms ban to not only staffers and the public, but lawmakers as well.
“What I think we’ve learned it’s not working is the fees system,” Huffman said in a phone interview Thursday, the day he introduced the bill. “This is how we enforce the current gun ban in the room of the House. And we know that a growing number of Republicans are just ignoring it. “
A newcomer to Capitol Hill, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Made a video on her second day in Washington promising to “carry my firearm in DC and in Congress.” Since then, she has refused to allow Capitol Police to search her handbag when she walked up the House floor.
Another first-term MP, Deputy Madison Cawthorn (RN.C.), told the local press that he carried a gun during the siege of the Capitol, although it is unclear if he was on the ground at the time.
A third Republican, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Is under heavy scrutiny this week after revelations that she had backed the assassination of prominent Democrats before coming to Congress.
Those and similar episodes have heightened suspicion to such an extent that some Democrats say they literally fear that some of their GOP colleagues are a threat to their physical safety.
In response to those concerns, Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiFBI: Woman arrested in Capitol riot allegedly said she wanted to shoot Pelosi ‘in the friggin brain’. Did Trump know what would happen on January 6? Marjorie Taylor Greene praises Trump’s call amid mounting backlash MORE (D-Calif.) Just days after the Capitol attack, placed three magnetometers on the floor of the House – an extraordinary step that reflects how far party relations have deteriorated in the flammable months since last year’s election. If there were any questions about her target, they were put to rest by one of her House allies, who said the aim is “to keep the fools from carrying weapons into the room.”
Pelosi is now pushing for more funding to protect lawmakers – at home, in Washington, and while traveling in between. But she has made it clear that she sees some Republicans as part of the threat.
“We probably need a supplement to provide more security for members when the enemy is in the House of Representatives – a threat members are concerned about – in addition to what’s happening outside,” Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol on Thursday.
Asked to explain, Pelosi was succinct. “It means that we have members of Congress who want to put weapons on the ground and have threatened violence against other members of Congress,” she said.
Some Republican lawmakers have already objected to the idea of walking through the magnetometers during the vote and choosing to slide around them. Pelosi reacted quickly, threatening thousands of dollars in fines for each violation – a policy the House is expected to pass next week.
Enforcement of the legal ban on armed lawmakers is less certain. Huffman said the decision would be left to the US Capitol Police Board, although he suggested the simplest strategy would be to have lawmakers screened, like everyone else, every time they enter the Capitol complex.
“I think we have come to a time when members of Congress must play by the same rules,” he said.
The 1967 guidelines allowing lawmakers to bear arms are also a draft of the Capitol Police Board, which consists of the sergeants-at-arms in both chambers, the Capitol Architect and the Chief of the Capitol Police. And even Huffman says the preferential strategy is for the Council to repeal that rule, rather than legislate the change.
However, after the January 6 attack, the board is in disarray as three of its four members have been replaced, and it is unclear whether they are investigating the matter.
“The problem is, that board isn’t really functioning right now,” said Huffman. “It’s important for this bill to move forward, if nothing else, to keep this issue central and serve as a backstop in case they refuse to take action.”
A spokeswoman for the US Capitol Police did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Rules Committee, had received some pressure from the Democrats to link the arms ban to the new Congress rules package, passed in the first week of January. Speaking to The Hill earlier this month, McGovern said the Democratic leaders chose it, largely for two reasons. First, he said the police council is reviewing its firearms guidelines, including the legislature’s exemption. And second, house rules cover only half of the Capitol complex, making enforcement logistically impossible without the Senate buy-in.
“The scheme is bicameral,” he said, emphasizing that he supports Huffman’s goals.
With the Democrats controlling the Senate, Huffman said he hopes to find support for his proposal in the upper house, although it is unclear whether the Senate leader Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer Permanent Capitol Fence Proposal Provides Bipartite Pushback Immigration Reform Can’t Wait Psaki Expects DHS Nominee Mayorkas Will Lead Task Force To Reunite Divorced Families MORE (DN.Y.) has the problem on his radar.
Schumer’s office did not respond to several requests for comment.
Whatever the debate, supporters of the gun ban say their case is backed by an unlikely group: the same rebellious Republicans – including Boebert, Cawthorn and Greene – whose headline controversies have quickly become a problem for GOP leaders.
“These people are making a much better cause by their bad behavior than I could say,” Huffman said.