Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said that intelligence reports indicate members of extremist groups are planning to attack the Capitol when President Joe Biden makes his address to a joint session of Congress in March, NBC News reports.

Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee, Pittman said, “We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January [6th] have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union, which we know that date has not been identified.”

Pittman was testifying about the continued need to maintain National Guard presence and barriers around the Capitol complex in the months following the January 6th domestic terrorist attack stoked by Republicans who claimed the November 2020 election was stolen because Donald Trump lost.  Many Republicans and conservative commentators have questioned the need for a continued elevated security level at the Capitol.

“So based on that information, we think that it’s prudent that Capitol Police maintain its enhanced and robust security posture until we address those vulnerabilities going forward,” she added.

Biden’s address to Congress, which is usually known as the State of the Union except for a president’s first year in office, will be attended by all members of the House and Senate, as well as Cabinet members, military leaders and Supreme Court justices.  One member of the Cabinet is intentionally absent as the “designated survivor” in case of a catastrophic attack on the Capitol while all national leaders are present.