Years ahead of schedule, the new U.S. Capitol Police budget has soared to nearly $1 billion, and officials are blaming the increase on a “staggering” number of threats against House and Senate members and security measures raised by the Jan. 6, 2021 riots.
In prepared testimony for its House budget hearing later Tuesday, Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger sounded shocked by his expected request of some $967 million for the fiscal 2026 budget year.
“I need to acknowledge, at the outset, that the department’s FY 2026 budget request is substantial — it is close to one billion dollars. I recognize there are other police departments of a similar size whose budget is not as large as ours, but we are not an ordinary law enforcement agency,” he said.
Due to its mission of protecting the Capitol complex plus some member offices and even homes in their states, Manger argued that the Capitol Police need its unusually large budget because the department does more than most.
“We are part FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and Federal Protective Services. Much of the work performed by the department’s staff — both sworn and civilian — goes beyond Capitol grounds,” he said in his prepared testimony to the House Appropriations Committee’s legislative branch subcommittee.
It appears that Jasmine Crockett continues to have taxpayer-funded personal security, which is interfering with journalists' attempts to ask her questions.
pic.twitter.com/2J1TNLvLDM— Charles R Downs (@TheCharlesDowns) April 7, 2025
For perspective, the Capitol Police had a budget below $500 billion before the Jan. 6 riots and a force about the same size as today, at 2,500. News reports from just last December predicted it would be “years” before the USCP budget hit $1 billion.
But Manger argued in his new testimony that Jan. 6 changed everything and added several new missions to the USCP.
“Significantly, much of these mission requirements simply did not exist prior to January 6, 2021. I cannot sufficiently emphasize that point. Following the events of that day, the department’s mission expanded exponentially and continues to expand,” he said.
“In 2021, the department faced a trifecta of significant challenges: critically low sworn staffing levels, the need to re-open the Capitol campus post-pandemic, and remediating over one hundred audit recommendations issued by the [inspector general] and other oversight entities following the events of January 6. These were largescale challenges the department had to confront simultaneously and within a compressed timeframe, significantly taxing a workforce already severely understaffed. Morale and work-life balance suffered significantly,” he added.
What’s more, he argued in the testimony, threats against members have surged. News reports, for example, have documented a number of “swatting” events at member homes.
The threat numbers are remarkable, he said, and today’s divisive politics will make it worse.
Just wrapped up tonight’s town hall and we had a few pizzas leftover. Thought Capitol Police could make better use of them.
Thank you guys for working late and all you do to keep us safe.
pic.twitter.com/kIcI2yMXQw
— Congressman Troy Downing (@RepTroyDowning) April 8, 2025
“The past year alone saw threats against members increase to a staggering 9,400 in one year — more than double over the past 10 years. That is a huge increase, and given the current political climate, one that is likely to continue an upward trend,” he said.
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Manger said that there has been a huge increase in member security requests, including personal details. Just last week, controversial Trump critic Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) was seen traveling House hallways with taxpayer-funded security.
“The current threat environment has resulted in additional member protective responsibilities, which have increased by 27% since 2023; continuation of sunset details and the addition of short-term threat-based details; increased requests for member escorts and security monitoring at regional airports; additional Technical Surveillance Countermeasures inspections, which have increased by nearly 400% since 2021; member residential and Capitol complex security assessments, which have almost doubled since 2021; and requests for law enforcement coordination assessments, which have increased by 159% since FY 2022,” said the chief.
