Bomb threat spurs evacuation of Senate building

Several floors of the Dirksen Senate Office Building were evacuated shortly after noon on Tuesday, after police received a bomb threat, authorities said.

{mosads} U.S. Capitol Police searched SD-340, a room on the third floor of the building, for a suspicious package, according to spokeswoman Lt. Kimberly Schneider.

A spokesman for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted:

Bomb threat of some kind evacuates bottom floor of Dirksen Senate office building but strangely not us on 6 th floor pic.twitter.com/LYMkdzRrd8

— Vincent Morris (@VincentMorris) June 9, 2015

SD-340 is the main office of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

A committee hearing on the Transportation Security Administration was being held nearby, in Room 342, when the threat was made.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the committee, interrupted testimony to clear the chamber at the instruction of Capitol Police.

Police conduct sweep of Dirksen Senate Committee room on Capitol Hill pic.twitter.com/Vv54xNhhSz

— Emmanuel Touhey (@netouhey) June 9, 2015

The TSA has been under intense scrutiny since a report last week found that employees failed to catch undercover agents trying sneak fake explosives and weapons through security.

Before the room was cleared, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) called that report “unacceptable.”

Another report from a government watchdog released Monday found that the agency failed to identify dozens of employees potentially linked to terrorism. 

The Senate Sergeant at Arms lifted the evacuation after an investigation.

Police activity in the Dirksen #Senate building all clear. Norhtwest Door is now open. Thank you staff and visitors for your cooperation.

— SenateSergeantAtArms (@SenateSAA) June 9, 2015

— This breaking news report was last updated at 1:32 p.m.