More Than a Dozen Democrats Express Safety Concerns Ahead of State of the Union

The House of Representatives Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, in a file photo. (SAUL LOEB / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB

Ahead of next week’s State of the Union, more than a dozen House Democrats have expressed concern over the safety and security of President Joe Biden and attendees.

In a Wednesday letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), 14 House Democrats expressed worry over the safety and security of those who will be in the House chamber for the Feb. 7 address.

“We write with urgent concern for the safety and security of the President, other dignitaries, and guests at the upcoming State of the Union Address,” wrote the members.

“The GOP House Majority’s new rules have made the safety and security of the House Chamber, the very seat of American Democracy, at risk to infiltration and violence with reckless changes to necessary preventative measures,” they continued. “As both of our chambers come together to hear a message from the President on the state of our Union, we are concerned for the safety and security of those present.”

The members expressed alarm over the magnetometers that were at the entrances to the floor of the lower congressional chamber being removed by the new House GOP majority.

“In the wake of the violent insurrection of January 6, an attempt by a Member of Congress to bring a concealed weapon onto the House Floor, other Members vowing to do so in contravention of House rules, and most recently a colleague distributing what appeared to be legitimate, and later revealed to be inert hand grenades on the House Floor, we know from experience that the House is vulnerable to multiple fronts of attacks both from inside and outside Congress,” they wrote.

Six days after the 2021 Capitol breach, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) tried to enter the House floor with a gun but was stopped by Capitol Police upon the magnetometer going off. She eventually was allowed entry, but it is unknown if she entered with her firearm.

Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), a freshman member of Congress and U.S. Army veteran, gave away inert 40-millimeter grenades to colleagues accompanied by a letter calling on his fellow legislators to “come together.”

The 14 Democrats asked for details on what safety and security precautions are being taken ahead of the State of the Union.

“We are amenable to receiving a closed-door briefing on the security plan such that the contents discussed are not available to those who would wish to do State of the Union attendees harm,” they wrote.

The letter was signed by Reps. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), André Carson (D-Md.), Yvette Clarke (D-Calif.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jahana Hayes (D-N.Y.), Jared Huffman (D-Colo.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.).