The Senate unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday to strengthen Secret Service protection for presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Called the Enhanced Presidential Security Act, the legislation comes after two recent assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump.
The legislation cleared the House of Representatives in a 405-0 vote just last week and now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
Once signed into law, the bill will provide presidential and vice presidential nominees with the same level of Secret Service protection currently offered to a sitting U.S. president and vice president.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), who introduced the bill in the Senate, explained the urgency of increased protection for candidates.
“Over the course of just 65 days, two deranged individuals have tried to kill President Donald Trump,” Scott said. “It is unthinkable that this could happen in America today, and it demands the immediate action of Congress.”
The recent attacks have raised significant concerns about the safety of political figures, especially amid rising threats.
The first incident occurred on July 13, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, striking the former president in the ear.
Another chilling moment came on September 15, when Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was apprehended at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, after setting up a sniper’s nest just off the sixth hole.
Routh was arrested and charged with attempted assassination after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of his rifle through a fence. Both men were apprehended before causing further harm, but the events underscored the need for enhanced security measures.
The Enhanced Presidential Security Act requires the Secret Service to apply the same rigorous standards for determining the protection of presidential candidates as it does for the president and vice president.
It mandates regular reporting to House and Senate leaders on the status of candidates’ protection, threat levels, security measures, and personnel deployment. These reports will be delivered every 15 days during an election year to ensure transparency and accountability.
Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced the House version of the bill on July 23, shortly after the first assassination attempt on Trump. “Elections should be decided at the ballot box, not by an assassin,” Lawler stated following the Senate’s approval.
The bill also calls for a complete review of Secret Service protection procedures for current and former presidents, vice presidents, and major candidates.
This review will be submitted to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, offering recommendations for future security improvements.
With both chambers of Congress now backing the bill, all eyes turn to President Biden to finalize the measure.