Senate Republicans To Defund Capitol Police By Refusing To Negotiate Funding

Senate Republicans are dragging their feet as the Capitol Police are about to run out of money while the Senate is in recess.

The office of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) told Republicans to get moving because the Capitol Police are running out of money, “Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Monday called on Senate Republicans to join bipartisan negotiations on the Security Supplemental to address the fallout from the January 6 insurrection.  It has been 166 days since the January 6 attack and 32 days since the House passed an emergency supplemental. Without Senate action, the Capitol Police will run out of funding sometime in August.  And without Senate action, the National Guard, which provided protection to the Capitol after the attack of January 6, will have to begin cutting training in August. “

Republicans keep talking about how much they love the police, but their actions tell a different story.

Leahy said, in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, “The January 6 insurrection left a path of destruction through the seat of our democracy and left our Capitol Police force overburdened and under-resourced resulting from unanticipated costs associated with the attack, including significant overtime duty and the need for retention bonuses.  For 32 days, Senate Republicans have refused to join bipartisan negotiations to address these urgent security needs, and now the Capitol Police risks running out of funding this summer.  I am committed to moving a bill in the Senate to address these important needs and prevent this self-made crisis; it must be done.”

There is no reason for Republicans to refuse to join the negotiations. The Capitol Police risked their lives for them on January 6.  Because the funding is supplemental, the Senate needs more than a majority to pass it.  The Senate will be going on a two-week recess starting next week and will be in recess in the month of August when Capitol Police funding is expected to run out.

The next time a Senate Republican tries to claim that they love the police, remember that these are the same people who are trying to defund the Capitol Police by refusing to act.

Senate Republicans are setting up a defunding of the police by refusing to negotiate.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association