Congress Ramps Up Security Measures as House Votes for Fines for Metal Detector Non-Compliance

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) walks through a metal detector before entering the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 21, 2021. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday announced ramped up security measures for congressional members traveling to and from Washington, as the House voted to enact hefty fines for lawmakers who refuse to go through newly installed metal detectors at the Capitol.

Pelosi in a statement said the heightened security protection for congressional members is in response to the breach of the Capitol building on Jan. 6, which she described as “a traumatic assault targeting Members.”