The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday with unanimous approval that strengthens Secret Service protection for those running for president and vice president. This move follows two assassination attempts targeting former President Donald Trump.
The legislation, called the Enhanced Presidential Security Act, will ensure that candidates for the presidency and vice presidency receive the same level of Secret Service protection as the sitting president and vice president.
After the House of Representatives approved the bill with a vote of 405-0 last week, it is now on its way to President Biden for his approval.
“In just 65 days, two unbalanced individuals have attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump, and one succeeded in shooting him in the head,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who introduced the bill in the Senate, in a statement. “It is unimaginable that this can happen in America today, and it requires swift action from Congress.”
“I am pleased to have the full backing of the Senate to pass the Enhanced Presidential Security Act,” Scott continued.
Scott emphasized that the hostile language directed at President Trump has made him a target, necessitating greater resources to protect him and his family.
“I appreciate my colleagues for passing this legislation, which will help safeguard President Trump and all future candidates for the presidency,” the senator said.
Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced the House version of the bill following the July 13 attempt on Trump’s life, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot the former president in the ear during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
A second assassination attempt occurred just over two months later, on Sept. 15, when 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh set up a sniper’s nest near the sixth hole at Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, Florida. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh while Trump was putting on a nearby hole.
Routh was apprehended later that day and charged with attempted assassination. He had already faced federal weapons charges.
The Senate’s version of the bill also mandates that the Secret Service regularly provide updates on candidate protection to Congress, particularly every 15 days during presidential election years.
These reports will include details about threat levels, security strategies, expenses, staffing, and any unmet protection needs.
{Matzav.com}