Congress To Hold Special Conference To Discuss Security For Members

Joint conference Wednesday to discuss security concerns
The chairman of the House Democratic Caucus said Sunday that lawmakers will meet for a special joint conference on Wednesday to discuss security measures and concerns in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) in her home district Saturday. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) spoke to reporters after about 800 lawmakers, Staffers and family members took part in an hour-and-a-half Conference Call Sunday afternoon. Giffords' Chief of Staff, Pia Carusone, was among those speaking on...

The Speaker, Since Saturday
For House Speaker John Boehner, the tragic news came fast. Shortly after 1 p.m. est on Saturday, while he was relaxing at home in West Chester, Ohio, Boehner was notified by his Chief of Staff, Barry Jackson, about the shooting involving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.) in Tucson. Boehner quickly alerted his staff then reached out to the House Sergeant at Arms, Democratic leadership, and other Republican leaders. While the story continued to unfold on television, he spoke directly with Democr...

Boehner Passes First Test as Speaker in Handling of Arizona Tragedy
As news of the horrific shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords spread over the weekend, Speaker of the House John Boehner rose to the occasion, seeking to calm nerves and reassure members of Congress and their families. Aside from being the first major test handed to the newly elected speaker, Boehner's handling of the situation may have been especially important considering the target of this Assassination was a Democratic congresswoman. And while past Republican leaders would have surely express...

Members Of Congress To Get Security Suggestions In Wake Of Arizona Shooting
WASHINGTON — A House Democratic leader says he thinks lawmakers will be taking precautions when meeting with the public in the wake of a congresswoman's shooting in Arizona. Connecticut Rep. John Larson, who heads the House Democratic Caucus, says lawmakers will continue to have open sessions with their constituents. Leaders from both parties held a Conference Call Sunday with the House sergeant at arms to discuss security in the aftermath of the attack that wounded Arizona Democratic Re...

House Is Briefed on Giffords
The House of Representatives is out of session for the weekend, but after yesterday's tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona, members were briefed on the shooting during a Conference Call Sunday. Over 800 representatives, staff, and family members joined the call, according to Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson. Members heard from Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Larson, Nancy Pelosi, House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood, Capitol Police Chief Bill Morse, Giffords's chief of ...

House joint caucus conference on security to be held Wednesday
House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.) told reporters at a Capitol briefing after Sunday's Conference Call that leaders of both parties have scheduled a joint Caucus conference for Wednesday at House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) request. At Wednesday's meeting, members are expected to be given additional recommendations on security measures, Larson said. "The primary thing here is to make sure that all members are coordinating their efforts with local police officials, which a l...

House Members Gather by Phone in Giffords' Honor
WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress, their staff and spouses held an 800-person Conference Call Sunday, to discuss Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' medical condition after she was shot in the head in Arizona Saturday, and to talk about their own security. Many of the lawmakers called in from their districts where they had returned after the first short week of the 112th Congress. 'Congress at its Best' Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson, D-Conn., described the Bipartisan call as "Congress at its be...

Members of Congress to get security suggestions
A House Democratic leader says he thinks lawmakers will be taking precautions when meeting with the public in the wake of a congresswoman's shooting in Arizona. Connecticut Rep. John Larson, who heads the House Democratic Caucus, says lawmakers will continue to have open sessions with their constituents. Leaders from both parties held a Conference Call Sunday with the House sergeant at arms to discuss security in the aftermath of the attack that wounded Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords...

Members of Congress to get security suggestions (AP)
WASHINGTON – A House Democratic leader says he thinks lawmakers will be taking precautions when meeting with the public in the wake of a congresswoman's shooting in Arizona. Connecticut Rep. John Larson, who heads the House Democratic Caucus, says lawmakers will continue to have open sessions with their constituents. Leaders from both parties held a Conference Call Sunday with the House sergeant at arms to discuss security in the aftermath of the attack that wounded Arizona Democratic Re...

Two lawmakers say they'll carry guns
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Two U.S. House members say they will carry guns while visiting their districts after the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Heath Shuler, D-N.C., who both hold conceal and carry permits, told Politico they would not carry the weapons in the District of Columbia. GALLERY: The aftermath of the Rep. Giffords shooting Members of Congress get some protection from the U.S. Capitol Police, but many travel only with unarmed Staffers and ...

Cantor observes moment of silence with staff in Henrico
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, and his staff paused for a moment of silence Monday in honor of Victims of Saturday's shootings in Arizona. Video by Penelope M. Carrington/Times-Dispatc ... (more) » Article: Ariz. suspect in court; nation mourns fallen House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, observed a moment of silence Monday in his Henrico County office in honor of the Victims of Saturday's shootings in Arizona. His local staff assembled for the 11 a.m. moment of silence as ...

Ohio Congressman Stivers talks security, office and personal pay cuts
COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - First-term Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers, who was sworn-in as a Member of the 112th Congress last week after beating the Democratic Candidate he lost to in 2008, is one of the 85 fresh Republican faces who helped elect another Ohio congressman, John Boehner (OH-8) of West Chester, the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Speaker Boehner was present along with Stivers to watch as Gov. John R. Kasich, who was officially was sworn-in just past midnight Monday, ...

Department of Homeland Security advises members of Congress on dealing with `active shooter'
This report was written by Stewart Powell of the Washington bureau. In the wake of the mass casualty shooting in Tucson that killed six and wounded 14 including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., the Department of Homeland Security is distributing guidance to members of Congress on how to respond to an "active shooter." Official photo Rep. Gabrielle Giffords The 13-page primer urges lawmakers and congressional Staffers to be alert to surroundings, aware of the two nearest exits ...

Congress Weighs Enhanced Security Plan
Source: The New York Times WASHINGTON — House lawmakers are considering adopting an enhanced security system that would ease the way for members of Congress to get more comprehensive protection at public appearances in their home districts. Under the Bipartisan proposal, the Capitol Police, which is charged with protecting lawmakers, would formalize its relationship with local police and sheriffs’ departments around the United States and jointly develop more standardized plans to deal with varyi..

Members focus on comity, safety of staff and family (Exclusive to Yahoo! News)
By Fawn Johnson National Journal Republicans and Democrats are abandoning Partisanship -- for now. Saturday's massacre by a gunman in Tucson, Ariz., that left six dead and wounded 14 others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords , D-Ariz., means that House members will spend the coming week making floor tributes to Giffords and discussing, in the most respectful way, how to better ensure that they and their families and staffs are safe inside the Capitol and also in their home districts. The Senat...

Three Steps to a More Civil Congress?
Third Way, the Centrist Democratic group, sent a letter to Congressional leaders on Monday outlining some suggestions to help promote civility in Congress and perhaps help moderate the nation’s overall political discourse. The letter was in response to the shooting rampage in Arizona over the weekend that killed six people, and gravely wounded Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who is an honorary chairwoman of Third Way. The proposed steps include mixed, Bipartisan seating in the House cham...

Pols' security getting closer look in wake of Ariz. shootings
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush said Monday he would move his district office to a safer neighborhood, and Sen. Mark Kirk planned to attend a town hall meeting with extra protection in the wake of the weekend shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. But some other members of Illinois' congressional delegation did not anticipate security changes. "In terms of curtailing my activities or having protection, that wouldn't work," Rep. Mike Quigley said. Quigley, a Democrat from the North Si...

Second Congressional Shooting Staved Off With Arrest
After the traumatic shooting in Arizona that left Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition and left six others dead, including a nine-year-old girl, authorities are saying that a similar event nearly took place in Colorado. A 44-year-old man who authorities said was schizophrenic reportedly called Incumbent Senator Michael Bennet's office and threatened to shoot up the entire office. He allegedly had been complaining about difficulties in receiving Social Security Disability payments, a fact that he re-i

Moment of silence, 11 a.m. 800+ join Boehner conference call Chaffetz, Shuler to pack heat back home -- Ezra Klein: Don't over
Good Monday morning. THE NARRATIVE – WashPost A9, “Analysis: In caustic political atmosphere, a moment of pause,” by Dan Balz: “Republican House leaders … have announced that they will postpone Wednesday's scheduled vote to Repeal President Obama's health-care law … But the debates over Health Care and other issues that divide Republicans and Democrats will resume, as they must. … Politicians in both parties have said this is not a time for one side t...

Obama, Boehner Face Leadership Test In Wake Of Arizona Tragedy
WASHINGTON — On opposite sides of the political spectrum, President Barack Obama and new House Speaker John Boehner suddenly face the same challenge: rise above the anger, suspicion and hostility of their liberal and conservative bases to help a rattled nation deal with the deadly outburst of violence in Arizona. But what comes after the easy moment of silence? For now, both men are stepping past the question of what role, if any, the vitriol of the past election campaign played in Satur...

Obama, Boehner face leadership test after shooting (AP)
WASHINGTON – On opposite sides of the political spectrum, President Barack Obama and new House Speaker John Boehner suddenly face the same challenge: rise above the anger, suspicion and hostility of their liberal and conservative bases to help a rattled nation deal with the deadly outburst of violence in Arizona. But what comes after the easy moment of silence? For now, both men are stepping past the question of what role, if any, the vitriol of the past election campaign played in Satur...

After attack, a leadership test for Obama, Boehner (AP)
WASHINGTON – On opposite sides of the political spectrum, President Barack Obama and new House Speaker John Boehner suddenly face the same challenge: rise above the anger, suspicion and hostility of their liberal and conservative bases to help a rattled nation deal with the deadly outburst of violence in Arizona. But what comes after the easy moment of silence? For now, both men are stepping past the question of what role, if any, the vitriol of the past election campaign played in Satur...

Colin Delany: Tom DeLay, the Arizona Shooting and the Black Hole of American Politics
Tom DeLay was sentenced to three years in a Texas Prison today, and I saw it coming almost 20 years ago. Sort of. Back in that distant, unwired summer of 1991, I was a wide-eyed recent college grad starting a brand-new job as a Staffer for a member of the Texas Legislature. One of my first assignments? To prepare a detailed analysis of a recently passed, 100+ page government ethics bill for my boss, who surely already knew it in detail already but who wanted to make sure that I did, too. Tex...

House To Hold Bipartisan Caucus Meeting For Post-Shooting Safety Info
In the aftermath of the Arizona Shooting Spree, House Republican leaders have cleared the legislative calendar for next week, which means that for the most part U.S. politics will slow to a crawl. Instead, members -- Democrats and Republicans -- will participate in a joint Caucus meeting Wednesday, to be briefed on security precautions in the wake of the shooting. Because of the preponderance of freshman and other junior members, who were not on the Hill during the 9/11 and Anthrax attacks, ma...

Lawmakers divided on need for more security after shooting
WASHINGTON — Security tightened Sunday on Capitol Hill as grief-stricken lawmakers, their spouses and Staffers were briefed about their own personal safety in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. About 800 members of Congress, staff and spouses discussed security in a Conference Call with Capitol Police Chief Philip Morse, FBI officials and other top congressional security staff. During the call, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he's asked security officials t...