House Democrats Push to Allow Armed Aides and Dedicated Security Coordinators Amid Rising Threats

House Democrats are pressing Republican leaders to allow each member to hire an armed aide for district travel and a dedicated law-enforcement coordinator as threats against lawmakers rise. Rep. Joe Morelle and Leader Hakeem Jeffries have discussed the plan with Speaker Mike Johnson and committee chair Bryan Steil while members begin receiving a new $20,000 monthly security stipend. The proposal follows a spike in threats — which Morelle says have grown roughly tenfold since 2016 — and a recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington that has intensified safety concerns.

02:07 PM, 12/01/2025Security

House Democrats Push to Allow Armed Aides and Dedicated Security Coordinators Amid Rising Threats

Top House Democrats are urging Republican leaders to let each member hire an armed aide for district travel and add a dedicated law-enforcement coordinator to help identify and mitigate threats, as concerns about personal safety for lawmakers increase.

Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the committee responsible for member security, said he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have raised the proposal with Speaker Mike Johnson and committee chair Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.). The request accompanies a new personal-security stipend of $20,000 per month that members will begin receiving this week.

Morelle described the proposed law-enforcement coordinator as a staffer who would focus on advance planning and threat mitigation. The armed aide, he said, would likely be a former law-enforcement officer or military veteran who meets federal requirements to carry a firearm.

'We're certainly in a better place,' Morelle said. 'We're going to continue to press the case.'

Morelle blamed a rise in inflammatory rhetoric for much of the uptick in threats — which he said have grown roughly tenfold since 2016 — and pointed to recent public statements by President Donald Trump, including an instruction to the FBI to review six House Democrats over a video urging service members not to follow unlawful orders. Morelle called the FBI review 'silly' and 'absurd.'

The White House pushed back, accusing Democrats of fostering division and warning against public appeals that could encourage service members to defy the chain of command.

Lawmakers from both parties condemned the recent shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in downtown Washington, an incident that has sharpened focus on member safety. Republicans have expressed caution about expanding hiring authority for armed aides, citing resource constraints and the need for fiscal prudence.

'It will depend on resource allocation, and it will also depend on what happens over the next several months,' Morelle said, noting the balance leaders are trying to strike between safety and responsible spending.

As partisan tensions remain high, it is uncertain whether House leaders will agree to broaden staffing rules to include armed aides and dedicated law-enforcement coordinators. Lawmakers say they are weighing the practical, financial and political implications as they consider measures intended to protect members, staff and visitors.