House Seeks Security Upgrades at Members' Offices Back Home

The U.S. House's Sergeant-at-Arms is seeking at least $2 million to increase security at Congress members' offices in their home districts, the News4 I-Team has learned.

The security upgrades include panic buttons for offices that don't already have them and video surveillance equipment.

Members of Congress have made an increasing number of requests to improve home-office security, Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving said recently. He's seeking the additional money from the House Appropriations Committee.

He didn't specify the nature of any threats against members.

On Capitol Hill, members of Congress are protected by hundreds of armed U.S. Capitol Police. But back home, their offices are often in open, public places such as strip malls.

Six years ago, Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot and critically injured during an assassination attempt in a strip mall in Tucson, Arizona. Giffords survived and resigned her seat in 2012 to continue her recovery.

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