Washington — Whether in Washington, D.C., or back in their home states, Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan and Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee are constantly on guard.
“Mr. Burchett and I are both people of strong faith, so I can say I put faith over fear every single day, and I continue to do this job,” Scholten told CBS News when asked if she feels safe.
“No, I don’t feel safe. But my head is on a swivel all the time,” Burchett added. “Trust, but verify.”
Nearly 9,500 threats and concerning statements were made against Congress in 2024, according to U.S. Capitol Police.
Under a new pilot program, lawmakers are getting a temporary increase of up to $20,000 for security upgrades at their homes, plus $5,000 per month to hire personal security.
The program was launched this month following a meeting before the summer recess between House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It runs through the 2025 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
“At the end of September, we’re going to look at that, evaluate all the data points, see how effective it was, how it was utilized, and then make decisions going forward,” Johnson told CBS News. “We