Metal detectors installed outside of the House floor

Members of Congress and staffers will have to walk through metal detectors in order to get onto the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, a senior Democratic aide said Tuesday.

The development comes after multiple House Democrats said they are worried about some of their Republican colleagues and that there have been multiple conversations about the need for every member of Congress and their guests to start going through metal detectors.

Capitol Police had set up metal detectors outside of the House floor as of Tuesday afternoon and all House members, staffers and aides will have to go through them, the aide said. A U. S. Capitol Police source confirmed the measures are in place.

Acting House Sergeantat-Arms Timothy Blodgett said in a memo to all members of Congress and their staffs that the metal detectors were being installed to ensure compliance with police regulations banning guns and incendiary devices from the chamber.

“Members are reminded that pursuant to the firearms regulations that Members received on opening day, firearms are restricted to a Member’s Office,” the memo stated. “Thank you in advance for your (cooperation) with the United States Capitol Police and Sergeant at Arms staff during the screening process.”

The House Democrats said that they are worried some lawmakers are ignoring House rules regarding firearms.

“There have been increasing tensions with certain incoming freshmen for months, who have been insistent on bringing firearms in violation of law and guidelines,” one House Democrat said, in a reference to Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina and others.

Boebert was filmed in a campaign advertisement vowing to carry her Glock handgun around Capitol

Hill in Washington, D.C., and has said she would carry her gun to Congress. The District has strict gun laws and Washington’s police chief has warned the congresswoman that she is subject to the same laws as everyone else in the nation’s capital.

Cawthorn, meanwhile, said in an interview with Smoky Mountain News last week that he was armed when a mob stormed the Capitol.

“Fortunately, I wa s armed, so we would have been able to protect ourselves,” Cawthorn told the paper.

Micah Bock, communications director for Cawthorn, said the congressman will follow the guidance of Capitol Police.

“Rep. Cawthorn exercises his 2nd Amendment rights, as well as the privileges available to members of Congress,” Boch said in a statement. “Congressman Cawthorn seeks to follow the guidance of Capitol police and is immensely grateful for the work that they do.”