Why don't Congressmen and women and Senators have secret service?

[elvis]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Giffords had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

 

[Sarah G]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

That would cost a lot of money. We can't afford it.

 

[jillian]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

the president and presidential candidates are entitled to secret service because of potential damage to the country in the event something were to happen. they are much larger targets. succession isn't an issue with a congressperson.

i don't think most of them have needed it.

 

[Modbert]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

You can bet that will change now. And before this, not many incidents in recent memory?

 

[uscitizen]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

Yep we need to sopend a few more billion on that.

Sheesh this country did not used to be like the middle east.

And yep Modbert it will be high priority legislation, like after 911.
Remember what one of the first things congress did then?

 

[LordBrownTrout]

I'd have no problem with congress carrying their own weapons for protection. Do any of them do this?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

I think they're assigned Secret Service if there's any threats. I went to elementary school with the kids of a US Senator, and he'd come to the school a lot, without any sort of security, except when there was a direct threat - the Secret Service pulled the kids out of school in the middle of the day. I don't remember exactly what the issue was, it was a long time ago.

Politics also probably has something to do with it as well - having a large group of armed security would make Congress members look out of touch and elitist.

 

[zzzz]

The Secret Service was budgeted $756,000,000 for protection for 2010. Here are who they are authorized to protect.

TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART II - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CHAPTER 203 - ARREST AND COMMITMENT

-HEAD-
Sec. 3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret
Service

-STATUTE-
(a) Under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security,
the United States Secret Service is authorized to protect the
following persons:
(1) The President, the Vice President (or other officer next in
the order of succession to the Office of President), the
President-elect, and the Vice President-elect.
(2) The immediate families of those individuals listed in
paragraph (1).
(3) Former Presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes,
except that protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event
of remarriage unless the former President did not serve as
President prior to January 1, 1997, in which case, former
Presidents and their spouses for a period of not more than ten
years from the date a former President leaves office, except that
-
(A) protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of
remarriage or the divorce from, or death of a former President;
and
(B) should the death of a President occur while in office or
within one year after leaving office, the spouse shall receive
protection for one year from the time of such death:

Provided, That the Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the
authority to direct the Secret Service to provide temporary
protection for any of these individuals at any time if the
Secretary of Homeland Security or designee determines that
information or conditions warrant such protection.
(4) Children of a former President who are under 16 years of
age for a period not to exceed ten years or upon the child
becoming 16 years of age, whichever comes first.
(5) Visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments.
(6) Other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States
and official representatives of the United States performing
special missions abroad when the President directs that such
protection be provided.
(7) Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and,
within 120 days of the general Presidential election, the spouses
of such candidates. As used in this paragraph, the term "major
Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates" means those
individuals identified as such by the Secretary of Homeland
Security after consultation with an advisory committee consisting
of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority
leader of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority
leaders of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the
other members of the committee. The Committee shall not be
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2).
(8) Former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children
who are under 16 years of age, for a period of not more than six
months after the date the former Vice President leaves office.
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the authority to
direct the Secret Service to provide temporary protection for any
of these individuals at any time thereafter if the Secretary of
Homeland Security or designee determines that information or
conditions warrant such protection.

Assigning USSS to congress would dramatically increase the cost and need for qualified USSS agents. This is an isolated incident and we should not rush to judgement here. The only way this could have been prevented was with a full scale presidential detail and that is impossible.

But for the next few weeks there needs to be due dilligence because of the threat of copycats.

 

[Avatar4321]

If I were a Congressman and was offered Secret Service protection, i'd refuse it.

 

[thereisnospoon]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Gifford had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

I am not surprised. These are the people's elected officials. Surround them with security and they gain royalty status. As though they are more important than the people they represent.
This is an isolated incident perpetrated by one kook.
We cannot run into hiding and start building fortresses around our selves.
This is a risk elected officials will have to take.
What kind of nation are we if we have to be in constant fear of being attacked by crazed idiots?....Before anyone screams "SECURITY!!!!!"...think of the consequences.

 

[Jackson]

I think off duty police officers would fill the bill and reduce the cost substantially. The cost could come out of their office fund.

 

[Truthmatters]

great now people who cant afford personel body guards cant run for office.

By personal I mean ones who they know and are hired to protect the specific canidate.

 

[Claudette]

Do you have any idea what round the clock protection for the hundreds of members of Congress woud cost??

Get real. If the members of Congress are scheduled to appear at an event and think they need extra security then they can contact the local PD's.

Off duty cops will be more than happy to act as protection and will be far less expensive than SS.

 

[Mr. Jones]

Politics also probably has something to do with it as well - having a large group of armed security would make Congress members look out of touch and elitist.

LOL, As if they aren't already.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Giffords had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

Because the Secret Service protects the nations leaders and foreign dignitaries, not Congress. If a member of Congress wants protection they can call the Capital Police, or local police. Providing 535 people, and their families, with Secret Service protection would be a waste of time and money.

 

[saveliberty]

I suspect many Congresspersons do not want the police around 24/7. Makes it harder to commit fraud on the American public with law enforcement officials present.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I suspect many Congresspersons do not want the police around 24/7. Makes it harder to commit fraud on the American public with law enforcement officials present.

Yeah, I understand your analogy, but literally, it fails. The crimes that Congresspeople commit aren't the type that a cop or a Secret Service guard would notice. Congressmen don't mug passerbys, they pass bills that line the pockets of their friends, and get campaign donations in return.

 

[FifthColumn]

I was amazed to learn that Ms Giffords had no security at this event and that it's the norm for Congress men and women and Senators to not have it.

Pope Mobiles for everybody!!