Bipartisan Bill Seeks To Move Secret Service Out Of DHS Oversight
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Russell Fry introduced legislation to remove the U.S. Secret Service from the Department of Homeland Security and make it report directly to the White House.
Moskowitz's package would also make FEMA an independent cabinet-level agency and move the Transportation Security Administration to the Department of Transportation. The move follows three assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, including the April 25, 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, and a 76-day DHS funding lapse that prompted more than 1,000 TSA agents to quit, raising urgent security and staffing concerns.
The episode traces back to the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed Trump's ear and killed an attendee, prompting a bipartisan House task force that included Moskowitz. That panel held hearings through 2024 and faulted Secret Service coordination under DHS, saying bureaucratic delays hampered resource allocation and decision-making. A second attempt on September 15, 2024 saw a suspect arrested near Trump's West Palm Beach golf club with a rifle, and criticism intensified during the funding lapse that began in mid-February 2026.
The Secret Service was moved from the Treasury to DHS on March 1, 2003, part of the post-9/11 government reorganization. As of fiscal year 2025 the agency had about 8,300 employees and a $3.2 billion budget, while DHS employed more than 250,000 people and had a budget exceeding $60 billion in fiscal year 2024.
The push to remove the Secret Service from DHS oversight reflects broader concerns about institutional trust and bureaucratic dysfunction within federal agencies. A 2025 study by Valgarðsson et al. in the British Journal of Political Science highlights a declining trust in representative institutions, attributed to increasing political polarization and a series of scandals that have eroded public confidence. This sentiment is echoed in a 2025 Pew Research Center report, which indicates that 85% of Americans perceive an uptick in politically motivated violence, suggesting that the current political climate may be fueling calls for more direct oversight of protective services like the Secret Service.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 2025 that DHS suffers from longstanding management challenges, including inefficiencies stemming from its rapid formation post-9/11. These issues have led to critical scrutiny of how resources are allocated and decisions made, particularly in light of recent assassination attempts on high-profile figures. As lawmakers consider this legislation, they are navigating a landscape marked by heightened security concerns and a demand for more effective governance.
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📊 Relevant Data
The U.S. Secret Service was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003, as part of the government reorganization following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. ([U.S. Secret Service](https://www.secretservice.gov/about/history/timeline)) ([U.S. Secret Service](https://www.secretservice.gov/about/history/timeline))
Timeline of Our History — U.S. Secret Service
As of fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Secret Service has approximately 8,300 employees and a budget of $3.2 billion, compared to the Department of Homeland Security's over 250,000 employees and budget exceeding $60 billion in fiscal year 2024. ([Department of Homeland Security](https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024_0309_us_secret_service.pdf)) ([Department of Homeland Security](https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024_0309_us_secret_service.pdf))
U.S. Secret Service Budget Overview — Department of Homeland Security
The second assassination attempt on Donald Trump occurred on September 15, 2024, when a suspect was arrested with a rifle near Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_incidents_involving_Donald_Trump)) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_incidents_involving_Donald_Trump))
Security incidents involving Donald Trump — Wikipedia
During the 2018-2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days and affected DHS, Secret Service agents worked without pay, leading to financial hardships and operational strains. ([The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/us/politics/dhs-shutdown-longest-history.html)) ([The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/us/politics/dhs-shutdown-longest-history.html))
D.H.S. Funding Lapse Leads to Longest Partial Shutdown — The New York Times
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Russell Fry introduced legislation to move the Secret Service out of DHS and make it report directly to the White House.
- Moskowitz’s package would also make FEMA an independent cabinet-level agency and transfer TSA to the Department of Transportation.
- The push follows three assassination attempts on President Donald Trump, including the April 25, 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, and a 76-day DHS funding lapse that led over 1,000 TSA agents to quit.
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