Congress Security

• Supreme Court justices provided rare congressional testimony to discuss critical security risks and ethical considerations facing the court. • The Court has requested a budget of $228 million for the next fiscal year, representing a roughly 10% increase over the previous year's funding. • This testimony highlights the judiciary's growing need for enhanced protection and transparency amidst increasing external pressures.

• Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett informed lawmakers on Tuesday that there has been a sharp increase in threats targeting her and other justices. • Barrett emphasized that these security risks are increasingly encroaching upon the personal and family lives of the court members. • The testimony serves as a formal request for Congress to allocate more funding to enhance the security measures protecting the justices.

• ISC2 announced the introduction of interactive AI Incident Rooms for its 2026 Security Congress, scheduled for October 24-28 in Denver. • These new learning formats are designed to provide cybersecurity professionals with hands-on exercises to simulate and manage AI-related security incidents. • The initiative matters as it addresses the growing need for practical, real-world training to combat evolving threats powered by artificial intelligence.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune unveiled a plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, resolving a 48-day partial government shutdown. • The agreement bypasses prior splits between GOP leaders, aiming to restore pay for affected federal workers. • Trump endorsed the measure, signaling he will sign a related executive order soon.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a Senate-negotiated Department of Homeland Security funding deal early Friday, dramatically denouncing the agreement reached after weeks of effort by Senate Majority Leader John Thune. • The collapse leaves DHS in a partial shutdown since mid-February with Congress now on a two-week spring break, creating an impasse with no clear path to resolution. • The rupture between the two top Republican leaders exposes rare discord as they work to advance President Trump's priorities before November elections.

• The U.S. Senate unanimously passed Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) End Special Treatment for Congress at Airports Act on March 20, 2026, requiring members of Congress to undergo standard TSA screening like other passengers. • The bill prohibits federal funds for expedited access at checkpoints, addressing perks that allow lawmakers to bypass lines amid a DHS funding shutdown affecting 120,000 employees without paychecks. • Cornyn stated, 'Members of Congress are getting an unfair perk... trust in Congress is at an all-time low,' emphasizing restoration of public trust as key impact.

Senate Democrats sent counteroffer Monday aimed at resolving budget standoffSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxNegotiations for Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – which oversees airport security officers – remained ongoing as the airport in Atlanta, the world’s busiest, dealt with long security lines Tuesday.A White House official confirmed that Senate Democrats sent a counteroffer Monday aimed at resolving a budget standoff that led to a DHS shutdown into its second month. A Trump administration official confirmed to the Guardian that the offer by Democrats was under review, though Republican lawmakers were quick to dismiss the proposal. Continue reading...