Democrats and Republicans have criticized the Pentagon’s recent decision to keep the National Guard troops in the Capitol complex for another two months. This is reported by Business Insider.
This decision caused discontent among lawmakers from both parties, Business Insider notes. According to the news site, they are wondering why a further strong military presence is needed and are demanding more information from Capitol police, who have not yet commented on the situation.
Thus, the leaders of the House of Representatives Committee on Armed Forces Affairs of both parties on Thursday, March 11, called for a reduction in the number of National Guard fighters, saying that they are “deeply concerned” about the measures that are still in place. “We cannot ignore the financial cost of this lengthy deployment, and we cannot close our eyes to the impact it will soon have on the overall readiness of the National Guard,” said both Republican Party officials Mike Rogers and Democratic Party officials Adam Smith. in a joint statement.
Earlier this week, Pentagon officials approved a request by Capitol police to leave about 2,300 guards in the capital until May 23. The additional two months will cost $ 111 million, according to The Hill. The Capitol is currently surrounded by a barbed wire fence that prevents the public from entering the compound.
On January 6, Republican protesters stormed the Capitol building and surrounded the Senate Hall. The Senate and the House of Representatives interrupted a meeting at which it was planned to approve the results of the past presidential elections. During the protests, police detained nearly 70 rioters, killing five. On January 14, the House of Representatives of the US Congress voted to impeach former President Donald Trump in connection with the riots in Washington, but subsequently the initiative did not receive enough votes and he was acquitted.