Norton Gets First Assurance of Continued White House Area Public Access at Secret Service Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), a senior member of the House Oversight and Government Reform (OGR) Committee, today questioned the U.S. Secret Service Protective Mission Panel on progress made to bolster security without trimming public access since a fence jumper penetrated the White House itself in September, 2014. Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) offered Norton a classified briefing that is necessary to get a full answer. However, Thomas Perrelli, the panel's chair, said that it was safe to conclude that by not mentioning public access in its list of recommendations to improve security, the panel did not believe that public access should be curtailed. Norton was pleased with the response because she has championed a higher fence rather than restricting public access to Lafayette Park and the front of the White House grounds, which are First Amendment areas that have always been open to the public. Norton will follow up with a classified briefing.