The U.S. House of Representatives is introducing an additional layer or security at parking garages below House office buildings in an effort to ensure 100 percent of the people entering the buildings have been properly screened before entering. The Capitol’s Sergeant at Arms is bringing the House office buildings’ parking garages within its secure perimeter, according to the Committee on Administration. Currently, security procedures allow drivers who park in the garages in the Rayburn, Longworth, and Cannon office buildings to enter the buildings from the garage without having to go through metal detectors or running their bags through x-ray machines. Drivers must have the proper staff identification and parking permits to enter the garage, but employees who park in any of the of the House office building garages are not subject to the same security screening as employees and visitors who enter on foot. On Feb. 22, the first phase of screening will be introduced at Longworth, Cannon, and Ford House Office Buildings. The second phase will begin in the fall and is expected to encompass Rayburn. Upon completion, the staff will be required to utilize any of 7 access points in the garages to access the House Office buildings. The access points will be equipped with metal detectors and a machine to screen bags.
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