Less than ten days after Ryan Routh was arrested while carrying a rifle near former President Donald Trump‘s golf course in Palm Beach, the US Senate unanimously passed Florida Sen. Rick Scott’s bill to bolster security for Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees. The Senate’s approval came after unanimous 405-0 vote in the House.
Scott’s bill will enhance the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection for presidential and vice presidential nominees to the same level currently provided to a sitting U.S. president and vice president. The Enhanced Presidential Security Act now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
Read Sen. Scott’s comments on the bill’s passage below.
Mr. President, last week, in both the House and Senate, legislation was introduced to increase the Secret Service protection for presidential and vice presidential nominees.
We all know why this legislation is needed. In the span of just 65 days, President Trump, our former president and the Republican nominee to be the next President of the United States, has been the target of two assassination attempts.
In Butler, Pennsylvania, President Trump was shot in the head but was miraculously spared from death. Unfortunately, Fire Chief Corey Comperatore, was killed by the assassin’s bullets and others were gravely injured by his gunfire.
Then, it happened again. In my home state of Florida, it is thanks to the incredible work of President Trump’s Secret Service detail that another would-be assassin was unable to take a shot at the president while he was golfing with friends. We know that day could have ended much differently.
We thank God that these attempts have not been successful, but each of these events have reminded the nation of the danger surrounding President Trump and the need to make sure he, his family, and those around him are safe.
That’s why I introduced the Protect our Presidents Act here in the Senate, and Representatives Mike Lawler and Ritchie Torres introduced the Enhanced Presidential Security Act in the House.
The safety and security of those seeking to lead our nation should never be in jeopardy and should be applied regardless of party. That’s why these bills ensure all presidential nominees, both now and in the future, are provided the enhanced protection they clearly require and deserve.
On Friday, the House passed Representatives Lawler and Torres’ bill in a unanimous vote of 405 to zero. This unanimous vote shows that when commonsense and desperately needed legislation comes before Congress, we can act quickly to do what the American people expect of us.
I am proud to lead this effort in the Senate, and I am on the floor today to request the immediate passage of the Enhanced Presidential Security Act so we can send this good and necessary bill to President Biden’s desk so it may become law.
Mr. President, our action today goes beyond the simple language of this bill to increase the Secret Service protection for our party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees.
Passing the Enhanced Presidential Security Act today with the unanimous consent of the Senate sends an important message to the American people and the world that we will not ignore these threats, which are truly an attack on our democratic process and have rightly shocked the world. required to ensure the safety of him and his family. I am grateful to my colleagues for passing this bill that will support the protection of President Trump and all future presidential nominees.”
