(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
national-guard-Capitol
WASHINGTON (77WABC/AP) – The Capitol Police have asked the Pentagon to extend the National Guard’s mission to protect the U.S. Capitol for an additional two months.
Thousands of National Guard troops were dispatched to the Capitol grounds after the January 6th invasion at the Capitol. Since then, there have been about 5,200 National Guard troops stationed around the building and a tall fence has been erected around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds.
The National Guards’ mission was set to end on March 12.
“We should have them here as long as they are needed,” House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference.
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said she learned that the request for a 60-day extension was made in the last 36 hours, and that the Guard is now seeking volunteers from states around the country to fill the need.
Defense officials confirmed that the request is under review at the Pentagon and that the Guard has started checking states for the availability of their troops, in an effort to be prepared if final Defense Department approval is given. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
A bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI said an unidentified group of “militia violent extremists” discussed plans to “take control of the U.S. Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers on or about March 4.”
