The move by the House Administration chair follows high profile incidents of violent crime this year against members and staff.
House Administration Chair Bryan Steil highlighted violent crime in D.C. as the impetus for hosting a safety briefing later this month, to which he has invited the “entire Capitol Hill Community.”
Details: The event is slated for Sept. 18 in Longworth. In addition to Steil, the House Administration Panel’s invitation says it will feature the House sergeant at arms, Capitol Police, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Union and “victims of crime” for a discussion on “best practices, safety tips, and precautions.”
The move by Steil follows high-profile incidents of violent crime this year against members and staff, including the February attack on Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in her apartment building and the March stabbing of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) staffer Phillip Todd, which left him with grave injuries.
But the session will also cover property crime. “Other staff have had their homes broken into, cars stolen, and property taken,” the House Administration Committee invite warns.
Asks and answers: Lawmakers in both chambers have voiced growing concerns about their safety outside the heavily policed Capitol campus due to a sharp rise in threats against members of Congress. They have asked Capitol Police for guidance and coordination with law enforcement in their districts and beyond to make plans and to help members, their families and staff feel more secure when away from the Capitol.
But the incidents this year against Craig and Todd have not proven to be calculated and directed due to their positions, which raised the specter of crime impacting the Capitol community.
Capital city context: The rate of homicides and carjackings have increased dramatically in the nation’s capital, shaking confidence in safety across the city. There have been more than 160 homicides in D.C. so far this year and police reported 140 carjacking incidents in June alone, marking the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Source: Politico