US Congress needs to ensure Secret Service ‘has the resources they need to do their job’: Schumer

WASHINGTON

The US Congress needs to ensure that the Secret Service has the resources it needs to do its job, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday after former President Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt.

"We all must do our part to ensure an incident like this does not happen again. This means Congress has a responsibility to ensure the Secret Service – and all law enforcement – have the resources they need to do their jobs,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

“So as we continue the appropriations process, if the Secret Service is in need of more resources, we are prepared to provide it for them, possibly in the upcoming funding agreement," he added.

His remarks came a day after Trump was subject to what authorities said was an apparent assassination attempt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Local law enforcement officials said they apprehended the suspect after US Secret Service agents spotted him with an AK-47-style assault rifle outside Trump’s golf club.

The suspect was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, several US media outlets reported, citing unnamed law enforcement officials.

Schumer called for the perpetrator to be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

"I’m glad the former president is safe and I applaud the Secret Service and all first responders for acting quickly before anyone got hurt.

"There’s no place in America for political violence of any kind," he added.