CHSA Requests Answers From Congressional Leadership About Risks To Congressional Staff Exposed During Violent Insurrection
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 19, 2021
Celia Olivas, CHSA Communications Director: (209) 981-9141, Celia_Olivas@Duckworth.Senate.Gov
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), a group of over 300 Hispanic and Latinx congressional staff members, sent a letter to congressional leadership requesting information about the risks that Members of Congress, congressional staff, and custodial and support staff were exposed to during the violent extremist attack on the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. In the letter, the organization discusses the importance of the work done by staffers of color to serve constituents and asks leadership to help them continue their work by ensuring that safety protocols prioritize CHSA’s membership, other congressional staff, custodial and support employees, and members of the United States Capitol Police (USCP). The letter was spearheaded by the CHSA Crisis Committee on the Aftermath of the Insurrection, a bipartisan working group composed of members of CHSA, the Advisory Committee members, and the Board of Directors.
“The U.S. Capitol is a second home to many. To see insurrectionists—many of whom were white supremacists—desecrate the home of democracy, raised many concerns about law enforcement’s response and diluted staffers of color’s faith in Capitol security,” said the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association Board of Directors. “Congressional staff need reassurance that their safety is a priority. We look forward to working with congressional leadership on this matter and on our continued mission to advance Hispanic and Latinx staff on Capitol Hill.”
In part, CHSA writes: “Given that too many of our members have also witnessed and experienced the inequities in how select USCP officers police individuals of color, we are concerned that racial bias contributed to the security lapse on January 6th and continues to endanger the lives of all people of color throughout the Capitol complex.”
This letter follows CHSA’s statement on the violence on U.S. Capitol Grounds.
News reports indicate that violent extremists are planning riots prior to and during President-elect Biden’s inauguration ceremony. These reports heighten CHSA’s concern for the security of congressional employees, officials, and officers and add urgency to their request.
A full copy of the letter is available below and here:
January 19, 2021
Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy:
As members of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), we write to you regarding the violent attack on the United States Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, that caused Members of Congress, congressional staff, and custodial and support staff to be exposed to alarming security risks across the U.S. Capitol complex. We respectfully bring to your attention our concerns and questions about safety.
CHSA and other staff associations on Capitol Hill represent staff across various races and ethnicities that work together to achieve an important objective: a congressional workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation at all levels. Every day we come together to improve the lives of hardworking people of all backgrounds, whom we too often have seen struggle. In doing so, we seek to represent our nation knowing that diversity in Congress enhances the quality of public service on behalf of all people.
As you know, violent extremists, a group that included white supremacists, breached Capitol security, attacked our democracy, desecrated the seat of government, and put the lives of employees on Capitol grounds at risk. They have not and will not stop us from continuing our work. We write to ask you to help us in making sure our public service can continue undeterred by ensuring that the review of safety protocols for the Capitol complex and Members of Congress also prioritizes our membership, congressional staff, custodial and support employees, and members of the United States Capitol Police (USCP).
In addition, as congressional staffers, we have seen the USCP act swiftly to direct the arrests of peaceful protesters inside the Capitol prior to January 6. However, as violent extremists shattered the Capitol’s windows, broke down doors, and attacked anyone in their way, USCP leadership did not provide officers sufficient reinforcements to adequately identify, block, and immediately arrest them. Many USCP officers valiantly stood their ground, to the point where an officer was murdered. However, we understand from video footage that there were USCP officers who appeared to assist these violent extremists in entering Capitol grounds by removing the barriers that initially blocked their entrance.
Heightened security was enforced when peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors approached the Capitol during the summer of 2020. As such, we are concerned that individual members of USCP leadership and House and Senate Sergeants of Arms willfully overlooked the threat of a group of violent extremists that was overwhelmingly white, in spite of multiple warnings, as a result of the color of their skin. Given that too many of our members have also witnessed and experienced the inequities in how some USCP officers police individuals of color, we are concerned that racial bias contributed to the security lapse on January 6 and continues to endanger the lives of all people of color throughout the Capitol complex.
Given these concerns, we would appreciate your urgent consideration of the following questions:
(1) As a result of USCP and other security leadership's failure to adequately prepare by underestimating the risk of violence, please describe the actions you will take to hold them accountable, including additional resignations if appropriate.
(2) What type of training related to racial bias is required for USCP officers and employees who analyze threats prior to and during their service?
(3) What steps has USCP leadership taken to ensure USCP will be able to swiftly and adequately respond to future Capitol threats?
(4) What plans are in place to work with offices to support the mental and physical health of congressional staff, such as increased hours of paid time off (PTO), post-trauma counseling, hazard pay, and COVID-19 related support? What plans are in place to work with the relevant unions for the Architect of the Capitol and USCP employees to provide them with similar resources, if requested?
(5) Are there plans in place to identify Capitol building employees reportedly harmed by tear gas during the attack and provide additional hazard compensation to those employees? What plans are in place to identify officers harmed in the attack and provide additional hazard compensation to those officers?
(6) Will leadership encourage the relevant committees to invite at least one Capitol employee and one staff member to represent congressional employees at a future hearing regarding the January 6 attack?
(7) Is there a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety and well-being of congressional employees in district and state offices, given that their offices are typically less secure than those in the Capitol.
(8) Is there a comprehensive plan to ensure that the safety and emergency situation planning moving forward will include the input of congressional and other complex employees? If so, please provide more details.
National news outlets continue to report planned violence in our nation’s capital by the same violent extremists that breached the Capitol complex. As such, our concerns for the security for all congressional employees, officials, and officers have increased. The action that congressional leadership and USCP take in the near future will determine whether employees and Members are secure in the workplace as they serve our country and support the Legislative Branch of our democracy.
Thank you for your serious consideration of our questions and requests. We look forward to continuing to work with you on this important issue.
Sincerely,
The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association
Celia Olivas, CHSA Communications Director: (209) 981-9141, Celia_Olivas@Duckworth.Senate.Gov
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), a group of over 300 Hispanic and Latinx congressional staff members, sent a letter to congressional leadership requesting information about the risks that Members of Congress, congressional staff, and custodial and support staff were exposed to during the violent extremist attack on the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. In the letter, the organization discusses the importance of the work done by staffers of color to serve constituents and asks leadership to help them continue their work by ensuring that safety protocols prioritize CHSA’s membership, other congressional staff, custodial and support employees, and members of the United States Capitol Police (USCP). The letter was spearheaded by the CHSA Crisis Committee on the Aftermath of the Insurrection, a bipartisan working group composed of members of CHSA, the Advisory Committee members, and the Board of Directors.
“The U.S. Capitol is a second home to many. To see insurrectionists—many of whom were white supremacists—desecrate the home of democracy, raised many concerns about law enforcement’s response and diluted staffers of color’s faith in Capitol security,” said the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association Board of Directors. “Congressional staff need reassurance that their safety is a priority. We look forward to working with congressional leadership on this matter and on our continued mission to advance Hispanic and Latinx staff on Capitol Hill.”
In part, CHSA writes: “Given that too many of our members have also witnessed and experienced the inequities in how select USCP officers police individuals of color, we are concerned that racial bias contributed to the security lapse on January 6th and continues to endanger the lives of all people of color throughout the Capitol complex.”
This letter follows CHSA’s statement on the violence on U.S. Capitol Grounds.
News reports indicate that violent extremists are planning riots prior to and during President-elect Biden’s inauguration ceremony. These reports heighten CHSA’s concern for the security of congressional employees, officials, and officers and add urgency to their request.
A full copy of the letter is available below and here:
January 19, 2021
Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy:
As members of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), we write to you regarding the violent attack on the United States Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, that caused Members of Congress, congressional staff, and custodial and support staff to be exposed to alarming security risks across the U.S. Capitol complex. We respectfully bring to your attention our concerns and questions about safety.
CHSA and other staff associations on Capitol Hill represent staff across various races and ethnicities that work together to achieve an important objective: a congressional workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation at all levels. Every day we come together to improve the lives of hardworking people of all backgrounds, whom we too often have seen struggle. In doing so, we seek to represent our nation knowing that diversity in Congress enhances the quality of public service on behalf of all people.
As you know, violent extremists, a group that included white supremacists, breached Capitol security, attacked our democracy, desecrated the seat of government, and put the lives of employees on Capitol grounds at risk. They have not and will not stop us from continuing our work. We write to ask you to help us in making sure our public service can continue undeterred by ensuring that the review of safety protocols for the Capitol complex and Members of Congress also prioritizes our membership, congressional staff, custodial and support employees, and members of the United States Capitol Police (USCP).
In addition, as congressional staffers, we have seen the USCP act swiftly to direct the arrests of peaceful protesters inside the Capitol prior to January 6. However, as violent extremists shattered the Capitol’s windows, broke down doors, and attacked anyone in their way, USCP leadership did not provide officers sufficient reinforcements to adequately identify, block, and immediately arrest them. Many USCP officers valiantly stood their ground, to the point where an officer was murdered. However, we understand from video footage that there were USCP officers who appeared to assist these violent extremists in entering Capitol grounds by removing the barriers that initially blocked their entrance.
Heightened security was enforced when peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors approached the Capitol during the summer of 2020. As such, we are concerned that individual members of USCP leadership and House and Senate Sergeants of Arms willfully overlooked the threat of a group of violent extremists that was overwhelmingly white, in spite of multiple warnings, as a result of the color of their skin. Given that too many of our members have also witnessed and experienced the inequities in how some USCP officers police individuals of color, we are concerned that racial bias contributed to the security lapse on January 6 and continues to endanger the lives of all people of color throughout the Capitol complex.
Given these concerns, we would appreciate your urgent consideration of the following questions:
(1) As a result of USCP and other security leadership's failure to adequately prepare by underestimating the risk of violence, please describe the actions you will take to hold them accountable, including additional resignations if appropriate.
(2) What type of training related to racial bias is required for USCP officers and employees who analyze threats prior to and during their service?
- What are the policies and procedures in place to hold officers accountable and remove them if they partake in repeated acts of racial bias?
(3) What steps has USCP leadership taken to ensure USCP will be able to swiftly and adequately respond to future Capitol threats?
(4) What plans are in place to work with offices to support the mental and physical health of congressional staff, such as increased hours of paid time off (PTO), post-trauma counseling, hazard pay, and COVID-19 related support? What plans are in place to work with the relevant unions for the Architect of the Capitol and USCP employees to provide them with similar resources, if requested?
(5) Are there plans in place to identify Capitol building employees reportedly harmed by tear gas during the attack and provide additional hazard compensation to those employees? What plans are in place to identify officers harmed in the attack and provide additional hazard compensation to those officers?
(6) Will leadership encourage the relevant committees to invite at least one Capitol employee and one staff member to represent congressional employees at a future hearing regarding the January 6 attack?
(7) Is there a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety and well-being of congressional employees in district and state offices, given that their offices are typically less secure than those in the Capitol.
(8) Is there a comprehensive plan to ensure that the safety and emergency situation planning moving forward will include the input of congressional and other complex employees? If so, please provide more details.
National news outlets continue to report planned violence in our nation’s capital by the same violent extremists that breached the Capitol complex. As such, our concerns for the security for all congressional employees, officials, and officers have increased. The action that congressional leadership and USCP take in the near future will determine whether employees and Members are secure in the workplace as they serve our country and support the Legislative Branch of our democracy.
Thank you for your serious consideration of our questions and requests. We look forward to continuing to work with you on this important issue.
Sincerely,
The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association
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