Following the second assassination attempt on President Trump in just 65 days, Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis (both R-WY) are joining Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) in leading 10 of their colleagues in introducing the Protect Our Presidents Act, which enhances U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection for presidential nominees to the same level currently provided to a sitting U.S. president.
“Our nation has witnessed two horrifying assassination attempts on President Trump,” said Barrasso. “We were merely inches away from a catastrophic event that would have changed the course of our history. This cannot happen again. The Protect Our Presidents Act will ensure all presidential nominees receive the same level of protection provided to the president. This will give law enforcement the resources they need to keep President Trump and all of the candidates safe.”
“The two confirmed assassination attempts against former President Trump have made it abundantly clear that we need to shore up protection details for presidential candidates,” said Lummis. “What President Trump and his family have gone through in the last 65 days is unimaginable. No presidential candidate should fear for their safety or the wellbeing of their family. I am partnering with Senator Rick Scott to ensure President Trump and all future presidential nominees have the protection they need so they can focus on promoting their respective platforms, not fearing for their safety.”
The Protect Our Presidents Act would:
- Require the USSS to provide presidential nominees the same level of protection provided to the president, as well as any necessary protective measures.
- The nominee may decline the increased protection if they so choose.
- Mandate regular reporting:
- The USSS must brief and report on the status of the presidential nominee’s protection to the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee every 15 days during a presidential election year.
- This report will include the threat level for each presidential nominee, the security measures being implemented, associated costs, the number of personnel permanently assigned to each protective detail, and any unmet security needs.
