[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 153 (Thursday, September 18, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6720-S6721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




AUTHORIZING THE USE OF FUNDS FROM THE SENATORS' OFFICIAL PERSONNEL AND 
OFFICE EXPENSE ACCOUNT FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED 
                              TO SENATORS

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I will shortly ask for unanimous consent to 
authorize Senators to use their office accounts for security purposes. 
Every Senator will now have additional flexibility to address the 
security concerns they face as public officials. Along with the 
additional investment in security in the continuing resolution that 
Republicans have put forward, there is ongoing bipartisan work to 
address Member security in the legislative branch appropriations bill, 
which I hope House and Senate will complete work on in the very near 
future.
  We are also actively working with the Sergeant at Arms to identify 
additional authorities for security options for Senators. I am grateful 
to the Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police for their work on 
this and for the collaborative efforts of many Senators from both 
parties.
  Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 413, which is 
at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 413) authorizing the use of funds 
     from the Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense 
     Account for security enhancements and services provided to 
     Senators.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for his 
comments and commitments regarding improving Member security. I know 
that he, Leader Schumer, Chairman McConnell, and I all share the same 
goal. I think all 100 Senators share that goal.
  We continue to see an unprecedented rise in threats targeting Members 
of Congress, with the Capitol Police on track to investigate over 
14,000 threat cases in 2025. That represents a 50-percent increase over 
the nearly 9,500 threats Capitol Police reported in 2024.
  We are witnessing disturbing incidents of politically motivated 
violence across the Nation, targeting elected officials and high-
profile individuals associated with both political parties.
  Whether it is the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk at a college 
campus in Utah or the tragic assassination of former speaker of the 
Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman and her husband in 
their home, it is tragic; it is unacceptable. And we would be foolish 
not to take notice.
  The House acted on a bipartisan basis to provide new funding for 
enhanced Member security this past July. Even before the June shooting 
of Minnesota State officials, the Senate Sergeant at Arms proposed a 
program for enhanced security options for Senators. Bipartisan Senate 
Appropriations leaders have expressed support to fund that effort.
  Unfortunately, progress has been slow despite strong interest from 
Senators of both parties. So today's resolution is a step in the right 
direction.

[[Page S6721]]

And the majority leader's statements about the further progress we need 
to make soon were very important--because, on its own, today's action 
is not nearly enough.
  First, unlike the bipartisan House plan, there is no new funding 
provided by today's resolution. On the other side of the Capitol, 
bipartisan House leaders announced that Members will receive an 
additional $10,000 per month to help with security. This resolution--
without further action--requires Senators to choose between either 
paying for office staff and operations or paying for their own personal 
security.
  The Senate has two great security agencies: the Sergeant at Arms and 
the Capitol Police. They do a great job with their existing programs, 
and they are ready and able to do more if we give them direction and 
funding.
  So while I am ready to support adoption of this resolution today, I 
do so based on the commitments from the majority leader and Democratic 
leader, namely: First, we will work on new security options from the 
Sergeant-at-Arms, in coordination with the Capitol Police; and second, 
we will see real funding to support enhanced Senate security; and 
finally, that we will see more progress in the coming weeks.
  I look forward to continuing to work on a bipartisan basis to get 
that done.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be 
agreed to and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 413) was agreed to.
  (The resolution is printed in today's Record under ``Submitted 
Resolutions.'')

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