The Senate has unanimously passed the Enhanced Presidential Security Act, a bill that aims to increase Secret Service protection for presidential candidates, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature. The bipartisan bill, which had previously passed the House without any opposition, would provide former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with the same level of protection as Biden. The legislation gives the Secret Service discretion on how to implement measures to ensure this level of protection. The bill was introduced in the House by Reps. Mike Lawler and Ritchie Torres, and Sen. Rick Scott brought it to the Senate floor.
The passage of the bill follows an apparent second assassination attempt on Trump, prompting Biden to call for Congress to provide more support to the Secret Service. The Secret Service Director has stated that Trump is already receiving the highest levels of protection, comparable to Biden. However, he emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in the agency’s approach to protecting presidents.
The bill’s approval coincides with the House considering a broader spending measure to allocate an additional $231 million for the Secret Service. Trump recently accused the Justice Department of downplaying an alleged assassination plot against him and referenced a previous attempt on his life during a rally in Pennsylvania. The passage of this bill reflects a bipartisan effort to enhance the security measures surrounding presidential candidates.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
