# What security measures do members of Congress have to endure during SotU addresses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697 "2012-10-04T14:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/1 "2012-10-04T14:50:45Z")
When the President addresses a joint session of Congress, do the members of Congress have to go through metal detectors and the like? I would presume they do, but I am not sure. Thanks, Rob ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/2 "2013-02-12T00:11:24Z")
Seems like a good time to bump this. Rob ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/3 "2013-02-12T06:28:53Z")
This [might offer a clue](http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/visit/prohibited_items/index.html) to those who wish to get inside the US Capitol building. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/4 "2013-02-12T13:39:22Z")
Actually, Senators and Representatives are exempt from having to go through security & metal detectors to enter the Capitol for normal business. I don’t know if that applies to the State of the Union speech, but considering it’s their building, and the President is a guest, I wouldn’t be surprised if they still demand that right/privilege. There was an incident a few years ago where a US Rep, Cynthia McKinney, wasn’t recognized by the Capitol police and they [grabbed her as she walked down the hall](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_29,_2006,_Capitol_Hill_police_incident). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/5 "2013-02-12T16:49:05Z")
Don’t know about SOTU security measures, but I remember then-Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan complained that, when he attended the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986, he and the Congressional delegation were kept from leaving the speaker’s platform for half an hour after President Reagan had left. From what I’ve heard, the Secret Service has lightened up since then when it comes to U.S. senators and representatives. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/6 "2013-02-12T17:01:17Z")
Somebody in Reagan’s Secret Service must have been to one too many performances of _Julius Caesar_ at the Folger. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bob\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_X)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/7 "2013-02-12T20:58:03Z")
I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/8 "2013-02-12T21:22:39Z")
I’d guess they take a closer look at the congressman who [invited Ted Nugent](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ted-nugent-won-bring-gun-state-union-address-article-1.1261995). ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-security-measures-do-members-of-congress-have-to-endure-during-sotu-addresses/636697/9 "2013-02-12T22:36:32Z")
> [@Donnerwetter](#): > > I’d guess they take a closer look at the congressman who [invited Ted Nugent](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ted-nugent-won-bring-gun-state-union-address-article-1.1261995). Especially since he has a little over two months left to meet his prediction of being [dead or in jail](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2012/apr/19/context-ted-nugent-saying-if-obama-wins-i-will-be/).