I believe one of my most important jobs in Congress is to bring the accountability and common sense to Washington that Iowans expect and deserve out of their government. Sadly, one of America’s most iconic agencies, the Secret Service, is in need of just that. They have been revered for their poise, presence, posture – never flinching, always on alert – scanning threats in every direction. They were larger than life, highly respected, and with the critical responsibility of protecting the President of the United States. The Secret Service has a very important job, and like all Americans I expect them to carry it out effectively and professionally. Unfortunately, their image has taken a measurable hit and they need to chart a new path forward.
On Tuesday (March 17) afternoon, the new Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy appeared before the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee on which I serve, for an oversight hearing before the Subcommittee evaluates their budget for next year. The hearing addressed the Secret Services finances, but it centered on a string of public failures and lapses in judgment that have plagued the agency for the past half-decade.
The first major security lapse happened in November 2009, when an uninvited couple was allowed to walk right into the White House and attend a State dinner. In November 2011, a perpetrator was able to shoot several bullets into the White House and escape undetected. The bullet holes were eventually discovered by a maid. In September 2014, a man jumped the fence from the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House and entered through the North Portico doors. He overpowered a Secret Service officer and ran through most of the main floor before he was tackled by a counter-assault agent.
Leadership has been reshuffled, statements have been made, but the culture has not changed. We are still reading about the Secret Service in the news. As expected, much of Tuesday’s hearing focused on the Secret Service’s most recent failure which occurred just weeks before the director’s testimony. Two high-ranking Secret Service agents, who were reportedly visibly intoxicated, struck a White House security barrier and proceeded to drive right into barricades surrounding the investigation of a suspicious package on White House grounds. The supervisor on duty overruled a junior agent and sent the two agents home without administering a field sobriety test. Director Clancy himself was only notified of the incident five days later by an anonymous source. This cannot be the standard for this highly trained, elite force.
The criticism at the hearing was leveled by Republicans and Democrats alike. The American people expect more out of what should be the most professional civilian force in the federal government. I had pointed questions for Director Clancy about how he has handled this incident and its possible cover up. Instead of being disciplined, the two agents are temporarily reassigned to desk jobs and still receiving a pay check. The supervisor that evening who let the two others go has remained in his position. I asked how these agents are still able to come to work every day and collect the same paycheck.
If this type of behavior happened in any business, if it happened in my office, these people would be terminated, period. There have simply been no repercussions, no decisive action. And that is not acceptable. These sworn federal officers should not be getting any more leniency than the average hardworking American could expect. I promise I will continue working to bring accountability to the Secret Service and the rest of the federal government.
Iowa’s Third District Congressman David Young, proudly represents the 16 counties in southwest Iowa, in the United States House of Representatives. He is dedicated to working hard for you every day to bring Iowa common-sense to our nation’s federal government.