Is it safe for the entire Senate to meet in the WH?

[Deb]

"Entire U.S. Senate to go to White House for North Korea briefing"

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-nuclear-usa-senate-idUSKBN17Q1LR


I understood since 9/11 this was type of all inclusive meeting was considered a vulnerability.

[PoliticAverse]

1. The entire senate often convenes in the capitol, and once a year...

almost everyone attends the President's state of the union address.

[Deb]

3. So it's been changed? I remember members of Congress and SCOTUS not attending.

It started under Bush.

[PoliticAverse]

5. It's rare for all Supreme Court justices to attend these days, 3 of the 8 skipped Trump's...

State of the Union Address (5 attended).

See: http://time.com/4686648/trump-congress-address-supreme-court-justices/

[procon]

4. Like the storyline from "Designated Survivor" that's when the entire govt is wiped out.

Like the OP, I thought the same thing because that TV drama outlined the possibility. Who will be the "Designated Survivor" safely ensconced in some fortified bunker, the last man standing in the event of such a calamity strikes?

[PoliticAverse]

7. VA Secretary Shulkin was actually Trump's chosen "Designated Survivor"...

See: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/politics/va-secretary-david-shulkin-designated-survivor/index.html

[Bayard]

30. Really like this new series

Well written and fast paced.

[Lee-Lee]

2. It's not like they are not all in the same building just down the street many days

You often catch the Senate all or almost all in session.

And there is the State of the Union speech (not looking forward to the next few) where the Senate, House, Cabinet and everyone else is there except for whomever gets lucky enough to be chose to be the designated survivor.

[onenote]

6. The entire Senate meets in the Capitol regularly.

Silly question.

[Deb]

10. I believe it is called Continuity of Operations

A whacko with foreign influences as pres, recent wh lawn intruders, NK nuclear threats and a soviet sub was off the east coast. Call it silly if you like.

[onenote]

19. There is a specific presidential directive detailing a Continuity of Operations plan

for the government. However, it does not bar the entire Senate or entire House from meeting together.

What you are thinking about is the "designated survivor" practice which, although not required, has been followed for many years when the president, Vice President, cabinet, and both houses of Congress convene in one location, such as for the State of the Union or Presidential Inauguration. In such instances, one member of the cabinet stays away as does one member of each house. But that practice has never been followed outside the very limited context of a gathering of the entire executive and legislative branches.

[John1956PA]

11. 100 Senators sitting in the Blue Room would be an easier target than in the Senate Chamber.

When the story broke, I also wondered about the security issue and where specifically in the White House they would assemble.

[onenote]

17. How so?

[John1956PA]

24. Smaller room with fewer exitis versus larger area with more exits.

[onenote]

25. The meeting, if held, almost certainly would be in the East Room, not the Blue Room

Blue Room is too small. East Room is the largest room in the White House and the only one that could accommodate over 100 people.

The East Room is still smaller than the Senate chamber, but it has more exits, both to the outside and to the interior of the White House, than the Senate Chamber (which has no exits to the outdoors as I recall).

[John1956PA]

27. Reports state the meeting will be held in the auditorium in the Eisenhower Building next to the WH.

The reports indicate that arrangements are being made to assure that the site is secure with respect to dissemination of information.

I used my "Blue Room" example because I wanted to highlight the concern which some of us, like the original poster, had when it was first revealed that the Senators were being summoned to the White House.

On edit: Correcting typo in heading of post.

[snooper2]

31. I put the chance of your conspiracy theory coming true at 0.000032%

[John1956PA]

32. I am not putting forth any CTs. I am just discussing security measures.

[milestogo]

14. The entire Senate does not meet at the White House ever.

[onenote]

18. Does that mean that there is some rule against it?

Yes, it's never been done. But that, in and of itself, doesn't mean it should never happen.

[milestogo]

36. From what I've heard there is not a "secure" room which is large enough to accommodate

that many people at the WH. It would make more sense for Trump to go over to the Capitol.

[Bucky]

8. I don't trust Trump to run the country, but I doubt he's got a machine gun under the desk

Not this soon, anyway

[randome]

21. What about Bannon? Meredith McIver is still unaccounted for, too.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]

[lindysalsagal]

9. Very snarky thooughts entered my mind. Not sure I want to post them.

I'll get back to you on this.

[MyOwnPeace]

28. I'm with you.......

I don't want FBI at my front door after our own senators told them where to go after giving the web the rights to sell my location.

My thoughts: Sort'a like Jack Benny when he got mugged:

(Mugger): "Your money or your life!"

LONG PAUSE, then angry look from mugger.

(Benny): "I'm thinking, I'm thinking!!!!!

[lindysalsagal]

34. Right!!!

[lindysalsagal]

35. I'm trying to guess if starting the Senate over from scratch would be better or worse...Just kidding

Of course I don't wish anyone harm, out here, in the real world, but it might make an interesting novel....

[Warren DeMontague]

12. It occurred to me

He might try to feed them all to Chris Christie.

[Else You Are Mad]

15. Then...

They better invite the house too, otherwise he will leave hungry.

[jberryhill]

13. As long as they bring their own food

[Else You Are Mad]

16. They will be served

Big, beautiful chocolate cake. That seems to be the food that Trump likes to serve when he announces he is committing an act of war.

[PJMcK]

29. Or meatloaf (n/t)

[rock]

20. What's the worst that could happen?

Of course, I really like Al Franken, and would miss him a lot.

[randome]

22. "Esteemed members of the Senate, I've invited you here because this shell before you is at an end."

"For me to continue to exist on this plane, I must FEED! Bannon! Miller! Hold 'em down!"
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]

[Buns_of_Fire]

23. My advice to them: Listen closely for a faint hissing sound coming

from the overhead "sprinklers" and "smoke detectors".

[jberryhill]

26. Yes, they meet together all of the time

It's safer than having Trump over to the Capitol, because then nobody needs to count the silverware.

[uponit7771]

33. Amen, I don't trust Benedict Donald and the Kremlin KKKlan at all