SECRET SERVICE FUNDING BACK AND FORTH Many lawmakers want to boost Secret Service funding in the wake of an apparent second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. But the clock is ticking if they want to do it before the election. With just eight legislative days left until the October recess, top appropriators are working behind the scenes to figure out how much funding they could provide for the agency — and if it could go on a government funding bill that has to pass by Oct. 1. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, said legislators are considering adding “hundreds of millions” of dollars — but they’re still figuring out whether it could be attached to a must-pass stopgap measure to fund the government. “There’s no final bill,” Murphy said. “[But] if we don't do something to help with overtime, help with getting them some assistance from other other agencies, this problem could become worse if we don’t get some additional funding.” Notably, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that he was “open” to more funding for Secret Service, as the appropriators discuss if it should be added to the short-term bill. But but but … There’s also some early signs of skepticism from other top Republicans that more money is what the agency needs right now. Speaker Mike Johnson told a small group of reporters on Tuesday that House Republicans are “looking at” the possibility of including more funding for the Secret Service on the continuing resolution. But he appeared skeptical that it was the solution for the agency’s current ailes. “I think it’s a matter of manpower allocation. We don’t want to just throw more money at a broken system. We’re looking at all aspects of it,” he said. Asked about linking more Secret Service funding to the CR, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, added: “We’ll see. I want to make sure that that's the issue, that it's not decisions, you know, that are made at the C-suite level in terms of allocation of resources and manpower.” That view from the top comes amid signs of outright opposition from some on the GOP’s right flank to including more Secret Service money in a stopgap funding bill. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), for example, posted on X: ”The Secret Service has over 6000 employees and a budget of $3 Billion. They have a culture problem not a funding problem.” And it’s not just Burchett. The cardinal in charge of Homeland Security appropriations, Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), told POLITICO he’s against simply moving to increasing funding for the agency. “You need to have a factual homework basis for whatever you do,” Amoedi said. “If it turns out that this is, ‘We need more people,’ then it's like, well, you get the people you've got to those detail assignments now and and we'll work on what more people means in terms of going forward in the 2025 appropriations.” One other option being discussed by appropriators that we’ve heard: Beyond new money for the agency, appropriators are also discussing giving the agency more flexibility in how it spends money it already has as part of the short-term funding bill, according to Murphy and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Then Congress could allocate more funding later this year. It’s worth noting, Johnson’s current plan does have some Secret Service language in it, giving them more flexibility for spending related to national special security events — think the inauguration — and the 2024 presidential campaign. But that stopgap bill, which will come to the floor on Wednesday, is expected to fail. — Daniella Diaz and Jordain Carney GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, September 17, where we are not thrilled about fly-in Tuesdays for the House. SENATE GOP TO HOUSE GOP: WHAT’S THE PLAN? Senate Republicans are waiting to see if House Republicans can pass a short-term funding bill — but they’re sending signals that they can’t wait much longer as Oct. 1 draws closer. Johnson will force a vote Wednesday on a bill linking government funding through March 28 to a GOP proposal to require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. And while the Louisiana Republican vowed on Tuesday that he isn’t currently discussing fall-back options, Senate Republicans are hinting that he needs to pass something by the end of the week. “If they don’t have the votes for it, then I assume they go to a Plan B. … We’re giving them some space, I think, and hopefully they’ll be able to execute and produce something by the end of the week,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters. Thune added that it would be “helpful” for the House to go first, but added, “if they don’t get something done by the end of the week” that dynamic likely “changes.” The minority whip, however, noted he was “hopeful” House Republicans would be able to figure it out. It’s a familiar dynamic. Senate Republicans, aware of the precarious position Johnson is in as he tries to navigate government funding within his own conference, are generally loath to do anything that’s viewed as jamming the speaker. Asked about that possibility on Tuesday, Johnson said “we’re not going to get stuck.” But GOP senators — who largely don’t want to see a pre-election government shutdown — also can’t wait forever. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to say when he could move his own government funding bill on Tuesday, but Republicans are waiting to see if he starts the ball rolling before the chamber leaves town on Thursday by teeing up floor action for next week. Why the Senate can’t wait too long: Getting a stopgap funding bill across the Senate floor will take days absent a deal to speed things up. With an Oct. 1 deadline, the Senate clock is starting to tick. Senate appropriators have been quietly working on a backup plan that will fund the government into December. When asked whether the Secret Service funding would be attached to a hypothetical stopgap measure, Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) joked: “Great question, and if you find out, let me know.” — Jordain Carney, with an assist from Daniella Diaz MORE TASK FORCE REQUESTS The bipartisan House task force investigating the July 13 shooting at former President Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally is sending off its latest request for information and a slate of interviews. As part of a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray, Chair Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.), the top Democrat, are making several requests including copies of any transcripts from a slew of interviews that the FBI and DOJ may have conducted, including with Trump. They are additionally requesting details on identifying the gunman from the July 13 assassination attempt and the coroner’s report. The task force is also requesting a slew of its own interviews with a litany of FBI agents involved in the July 13 rally and subsequent investigations. And they are formalizing their request for task force members to get a briefing this week on Sunday’s apparent assassination attempt. — Jordain Carney
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