Sergeant at Arms details recent breaches, AI pilots and member safety steps at House security hearing
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Summary
House Sergeant at Arms Bill McFarland told a subcommittee there have been four recent security breaches and described measures including vapor-detection dogs, AI-enabled screening tools, a security working group and expanded district security support; members asked about screenings, MOU challenges and airport/Union Station security.
At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, House Sergeant at Arms William (Bill) McFarland described recent security incidents on the Capitol campus and outlined steps under way to strengthen protections for members, staff and visitors.
When asked how many security breaches the Sergeant at Arms had recorded, McFarland replied, "The account right now is, I think, four, sir." He added that three of those four incidents involved weapons or ammunition.
McFarland described several operational changes and pilots: vapor-detection dogs patrolling the plaza, the addition of AI tools to metal detectors and X-ray screening similar to airport electronic screening, expanded officer presence at airports on high-traffic days, and a newly formed security research-and-development working group that will explore technology and AI options for proactive threat mitigation.
He said the Sergeant at Arms' FY2026 request includes funding for mobile duress alert systems for Members, AI-enabled event monitoring tools and new software to modernize parking security. McFarland also said a search for a new U.S. Capitol Police chief is underway and "we're looking at about 10 weeks, right now" for that process.
Members pressed McFarland about situations in which individuals who previously participated in violent January 6 activity have later returned to campus and about how intelligence and screening are applied when groups announce plans publicly. McFarland said intelligence alerts and extra uniformed officers are used when credible information is available, but he declined to discuss operational specifics in detail at the hearing for security reasons.
On coordination with local law enforcement in districts, McFarland said the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police maintain memoranda of understanding with state and local partners and expressed interest in expanding those relationships so members receive greater residential and event security support in their districts.
Security and cybersecurity overlap: CAO Catherine Szpindor and other witnesses described 24/7 monitoring of House networks and repeated near-miss incidents that were addressed within 10 to 15 minutes. Szpindor said the House email system was not connected to a Library of Congress mail system compromise and was not impacted by that incident.
Ending: McFarland and other House officials said they have begun new pilots and technology procurements to increase screening effectiveness and member safety, but also cautioned that the House is an open building and some protections depend on credible intelligence and local enforcement partnerships.
