Capitol Police asks for more officers

Lawmakers seek to boost security after shooting rampage

USA TODAY WASHINGTON Amid increased concern about lawmakers’ safety after Wednesday’s shooting, Congress is considering a request from the U.S. Capitol Police to boost its budget by about $33 million to hire 72 more officers and ramp up security at congressional buildings and parking garages.

Police Chief Matthew Verderosa warned House members last month that there are not enough officers to “provide the complete and necessary resources to meet all of our mission requirements.” The department’s current budget has funding for 1,871 officers and 372 civilian employees.

Members of the House and Senate appropriations committees are crafting legislation that will include money for the Capitol Police — funding that has become more urgent after a gunman critically wounded House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., at a suburban Virginia ballfield Wednesday morning.

Republican lawmakers were practicing for the annual congressional baseball game. Four other people, including two Capitol Police officers, also were injured.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee, said the panel is working to reschedule a hearing on Capitol Police funding that was canceled Wednesday because of the shooting.

“We hope to have an understanding of their needs ... and what additional resources may be needed in light of (Wednesday’s) event,” the senator said Thursday.

Verderosa, in testimony before the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee last month, said understaffing means that officers are working overtime and don’t have time for training in how to respond to the rise in terrorist attacks.

“We are seeing the nature of threats changing,” he told the subcommittee May 18 as he asked for a budget increase of about 8.5 percent, for a total budget of $427 million. “Today, there are no routine traffic stops. There are no routine activities, as we have seen a rise in terrorist organizations attacking public venues.”

In addition to the 72 additional officers, Verderosa is seeking funding for 48 more civilian employees.

Lawmakers said they also are considering putting provisions in the 2018 spending bill that would give members of Congress more flexibility to use their office funds for personal security, especially in their district offices in their home states.