US plans to strengthen security measures to prevent repeat of Capitol attack on January 6
Capitol attack January 6, 2021 (photo: Getty Images)
The federal government will significantly strengthen security during the joint session of Congress where legislators will count the electoral votes from the states. The session is scheduled for January 6, 2025, reports The Washington Post.
Thus, the routine post-election session will receive a national special security designation, on par with the security level provided during presidential inaugurations and political conventions.
Law enforcement resources from across the federal government will be mobilized to protect members of Congress while they certify the election results.
However, Congress, currently engaged in a heated battle over federal funding, must act to ensure that the Secret Service receives sufficient funds to support national special security measures, according to a recent request from the White House Office of Management and Budget sent to lawmakers.
It is also noted that recently, Michael Sparks, a resident of Kentucky and the first rioter to enter the US Capitol during the mob attack by supporters of then-President Donald Trump, was sentenced to over four years in prison.
On August 27, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith filed a new indictment against Trump regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, maintaining the same criminal charges but narrowing the scope of the accusations following a Supreme Court ruling that granted former presidents broad immunity.
Capitol attack
In January 2021, supporters of Trump attempted to storm the Capitol building, where the Senate is located, demanding the overturn of the 2020 presidential election results, which saw Joe Biden as the winner. During the unrest, five people died, including a police officer.
In May 2023, a court sentenced Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the far-right organization Oath Keepers, to 18 years in prison in connection with this case.
