WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives The United States unanimously approved a law to increase the security of presidential candidates by the Secret service Following two assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, who hopes to reach the White House in the November elections.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Ritchie Torres, both of New York, will now have to be approved by the Senate. The vote was 405 in favor and zero against.
Specifically, the text asks the Secret Service to assess “the number of agents necessary” to “protect” presidents, vice presidents, as well as presidential and vice presidential candidates.
This comes after an attack and subsequent assassination attempt on former President Trump in Pennsylvania and later in West Palm Beach. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is the suspect in the latest attack on the tycoon while he was playing golf on Sunday in Florida, and is charged with two federal counts of illegal use of firearms that could bring him up to 20 years in prison.
Trump survived the first attack on July 13 during an election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead seconds later by a Secret Service sniper.
“Deficiencies” in communication
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said at a press conference on Friday that the agency had not given “clear” instructions to security forces in the area and that there were “deficiencies” in communication between personnel responding to the shooting in Butler.
“While some members of the advance team were very diligent, there was complacency on the part of others which led to a breach of safety protocols,” he added.
Specifically, preliminary findings from the Secret Service’s internal investigation found that personnel failed to radio “a description of the shooter” or “vital information” about the shooting.
However, he was optimistic about the security forces’ performance in the second assassination attempt against Trump. “The procedures are working,” said Rowe, who has held the post since Kimberly Cheatle resigned on July 23, after the first attempt against former President Trump.
