Source: United States Senator for Vermont Patrick Leahy
WASHINGTON (Tuesday, July 27, 2021) – Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Tuesday announced a $2.1 billion bipartisan agreement on an emergency security supplemental to address the fallout of the January 6 insurrection, the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, and expenses incurred on the Capitol complex as a result of the COVID pandemic.
Leahy said: “We have the responsibility to take care of the Capitol Police in the wake of their incredible service on January 6th, and to reimburse our National Guard for costs incurred protecting the Capitol. We have the responsibility to pay for costs we have already incurred as a result of the pandemic. And we have the moral responsibility to stand with our Afghan partners who stood with us through two decades of war. This bipartisan agreement addresses these critical needs, and it addresses them now because they cannot wait. I want to thank my dear friend Vice Chairman Shelby for his diligent work throughout this process.”
Leahy first made public back in June that if Congress failed to act the Capitol Police would deplete salaries funds in August and that the National Guard would be forced to cancel necessary trainings as a result of expenses and overtime incurred from the January 6 insurrection. The Capitol complex also incurred expenses resulting from the COVID pandemic that were paid for by delaying other important projects.
Finally, the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan created the urgent need to strengthen the Special Immigrant Visa Program for our Afghan partners and provide the resources to address the inevitable flood of refugees in the region.
The $2.1 billion bipartisan agreement between Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby includes:
- $521 million to reimburse the National Guard;
- $70.7 million for Capitol Police to support overtime, more officers, hazard pay, and retention bonuses for the Capitol Police;
- $35.4 for the Capitol Police for mutual aid agreements with local, state, and federal law enforcement for securing the Capitol;
- $300 million to secure the Capitol complex;
- $42.1 million to respond to the COVID pandemic on the Capitol complex; and
- $1.125 billion for Afghan refugee assistance;
- 8,000 new Afghan Special Immigrant Visas with new reforms to the program to improve efficiency.
A summary of the bill can be found HERE.
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