The Secret Service would like $8 million to build a replica White House for training purposes following a string of security lapses, including one last year when a fence-jumper made it deep inside the President's residence, the Secret Service Director said Tuesday.
Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy told a House Appropriations subcommittee that agents would be able to "train more efficiently" if they had access to a "mock-up" White House.
Clancy said he'd like for the replica to be built in Beltsville, Maryland, about 20 miles from the actual White House. Clancy estimates that the design and construction of the faux Executive Mansion will cost $8 million, according to his prepared remarks for Tuesday’s hearing.
Training is currently conducted in a parking lot, Clancy said.
"We don’t have, on that parking lot, the bushes, we don’t have the fountains, we don’t get a realistic look at the White House," he said during his appeal, adding that U.S. Special Forces usually have models built to train on before missions.
Clancy spent a good portion of the hearing testifying about a March 4 incident when two Secret Service agents drove into a White House security fence after allegedly drinking alcohol at a party. Clancy has served as director of the Secret Service since October but was only permanently appointed in February.
IN-DEPTH
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- Long List of Breaches and Scandals for Secret Service Under Obama
- Review Finds Secret Service Needs 'Culture Change'
— Elisha Fieldstadt
