US lawmakers have introduced legislation seeking to prevent the installation of permanent fencing around the United States Capitol, arguing that the complex should remain accessible to the public.
District of Columbia Delegate Elanor Holmes Norton and Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, both Democrats, announced the proposed legislation on Tuesday.
The “No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act” was introduced following the security measures adopted after the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, when authorities erected a fence around the grounds.
The temporary barrier remained in place for about six months, while officials considered whether a permanent fence should become part of wider security improvements at the complex.
Norton, who announced her retirement earlier this year, has consistently opposed the idea of permanent fencing around the Capitol. She argued that such a measure would do little to address security threats while creating greater physical distance between Americans and their government.
“Permanent fencing would send an un-American message to the nation and the world, transforming the Capitol from a place that’s accessible to the people it serves into a fortress that locks them out,” she said in a statement.
“The answer to security vulnerabilities is not a crude barrier that makes the Capitol look safer while doing little to address the threats,” she added.
Rather than relying on a permanent physical barrier, Norton called for increased investment in intelligence, technology, training and other security measures aimed at protecting the Capitol while maintaining public access.
“At a time when trust in government is at historic lows, the last thing we should do is put another physical and psychological barrier between the people and the government that serves them,” she said.
Norton also raised concerns about the potential effect of permanent fencing on residential communities and businesses around the Capitol.
Following the January 6 attack, temporary fencing and additional security measures resulted in road closures around the complex, forcing some residents in nearby neighbourhoods to use alternative routes.
“Public property should be open to the public,” Norton said.
Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also backed the legislation, arguing that enhanced security should not require cutting the Capitol off from the public.
“We can protect the Capitol without walling it off to the public,” he said.
“This legislation would ensure this complex never becomes a fortress where the American people are left on the outside looking in,” the Maryland Democrat added.
