House Republicans push Secret Service to implement ‘sex-neutral’ fitness qualifications

EXCLUSIVE — A group of House Republicans is pushing the Secret Service to implement a “sex-neutral” fitness evaluation that would hold male and female applicants to the same standards when applying for the agency, according to new legislation being introduced Monday.

The bill, titled the “Secret Service Readiness Act of 2024,” would require the Secret Service to establish fitness standards that are not lower than the current requirements for male applicants or those for current agents and offices, according to the bill first obtained by the Washington Examiner. The bill comes in response to the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a rally last weekend, for which many lawmakers blame the Secret Service.

“Enough with all the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives—we need our Secret Service agents to be fully prepared and trained to do their jobs,” Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement. “What happened on Saturday—where a shooter was allowed to be within 150 yards of President Trump—can never happen again. Much more needs to be done in the days and weeks ahead, but hopefully this legislation is a good starting point for getting our U.S. Secret Service back in line with its mission.”

If passed, the Secret Service would be required to implement the standards across the board within 90 days. The agency would then be required to submit a report 180 days later describing the implementation of the standards and its effect on recruitment and training.

The bill is one of the first pieces of legislation to be introduced since the assassination attempt on Trump, when the former president was pierced in the upper right ear while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The legislation also comes as some in conservative circles have blamed the Secret Service for implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to expand the hiring of agents, arguing it led to the security breach that nearly killed Trump.

Under current Secret Service qualification tests, male and female candidates are held under different fitness standards for push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and the mile run. However, under the proposed legislation, lawmakers would push for all candidates to be held to male standards.

The bill has already garnered support from nine co-sponsors, including Reps. Troy Nehls (R-TX), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Andy Ogles (R-TN), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Keith Self (R-TX), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY).

The proposal comes after lawmakers were briefed by the Secret Service in a virtual meeting last week and even as Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is set to testify before Republicans on the House Oversight Committee in a hearing on Monday. Several GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), have called on Cheatle to resign.