U. S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) have reintroduced their legislation that would change the requirements of the U.S. secret service director.
The legislation, Providing Real Oversight and Transparency to Effectively Counter Threats (PROTECT) Act, would ensure that all future U.S. Secret Service Directors are confirmed by the Senate and are limited to one 10-year term. Grassley, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the move would provide more oversight to the position.
“The Secret Service Director is responsible for a critical agency where life and death are at stake. This agency and its leadership require serious congressional oversight to ensure they’re held to a very high standard, so that the failure we saw in Butler last year is never repeated,” Grassley said. “Our bipartisan PROTECT Act is a crucial step towards providing the American people the transparency and accountability they deserve from the Secret Service.”
The senators said the attack on President Donald Trump while he was on the campaign trail prompted the legislation. On July 13, 2025, an assailant fired at Trump during a campaign rally from the roof of a nearby building. The senators said, despite the presence of the Secret Service, Trump was injured, one rally attendee lost his life, and two others suffered serious injuries.
“The men and women of the Secret Service have an incredible responsibility, and we must support them and their work. Our bipartisan PROTECT Act will make the Secret Service Director a Senate-confirmed position with a 10-year term, ensuring the same level of oversight as other federal law enforcement agencies while protecting against politicization,” Cortez Masto said.
The Senate confirms many other federal law enforcement agency heads such as the FBI, the DEA and the ATF, among others.