Lawmakers call for ‘measured drawdown’ of Guard troops at Capitol

The top Democrat and Republican on the House Armed Services Committee are calling for a “measured drawdown” of National Guard troops in Washington, the first bipartisan request to reduce the security posture around the US Capitol and a clear sign that patience is running thin among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

The statement comes after the Pentagon approved extending the deployment of nearly 2,300 Guard troops by 60 days this week at the request of US Capitol Police — and as lawmakers have become increasingly vocal about the need to restore some semblance of normalcy at the Capitol.

“We are deeply troubled by the current level of security around the United States Capitol. More than two months after the January 6 attack, the seat of our nation’s democracy remains heavily protected by guardsmen and surrounded by a perimeter fence,” wrote Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the panel’s chairman, and Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, the top Republican member.

“As the US Capitol Police continues to build its personnel capacity, there is no doubt that some level of support from the National Guard should remain in the National Capital Region to respond to credible threats against the Capitol. However, the present security posture is not warranted at this time,” they added.

The statement was the latest sharp rebuke from lawmakers over the extended security presence at the Capitol following the January 6 riot, in which insurrectionists breached the Capitol and overran Capitol Police. In addition to thousands of National Guard troops stationed at the Capitol, razor-wire fencing still surrounds the Capitol complex, walling it off from the public.

The long-term security posture at the Capitol itself is the first of several politically thorny issues that Congress will have to tackle in the aftermath of the January 6 attack. New recommendations from a task force appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have proposed adding a quick reaction force in Washington and retractable, mobile fencing to the Capitol.

Members of Congress have sought clarity from Capitol Police and the Pentagon about the rationale for the two-month extension to the deployment, according to a source familiar with the matter. The current understanding, the source said, is Capitol Police does not have the staffing to provide security post-January 6 even with a reduced threat, so the National Guard is bridging the gap.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was confident in his decision to approve the extension request from Capitol Police.

“It is about capacity, which has a lot to do with numbers and augmenting the Capitol Police right now, in this new environment we’re all living in post-January 6,” Kirby said.

But top lawmakers are calling for changes. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday compared the situation at the Capitol to Kabul, Afghanistan.

“I think we’re way overreacting to the current need,” McConnell said. “I’m extremely uncomfortable with the fact that my constituents can’t come to the Capitol. With all this razor wire around the complex reminds me of my last visit to Kabul. This is the capital of the United States of America. … It looks terrible to have the beacon of our democracy surrounded by razor wire and National Guard troops.”

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, said this week that the current situation with fencing closing off the Capitol was “unacceptable.”

“It’s just ghastly, it’s an embarrassment,” Durbin said. “If there’s a better way to protect us, I want to see it. I want to work to get it.”