I
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1656
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2015
Mr. Goodlatte (for himself, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To provide for additional resources for the Secret Service, and to improve protections for restricted areas.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015
.
Presidential appointment of Director of the Secret Service
Section 3056 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end:
The Director of the Secret Service shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director of the Secret Service is the head of the Secret Service.
.
Restricted building or grounds
Section 1752(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (3), by striking or
at the end;
in paragraph (4), by inserting or
at the end; and
by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, causes any object to enter any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such object, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions;
.
Threats against former Vice Presidents
Section 879 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), respectively; and
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
a former Vice President or a member of the immediate family of a former Vice President;
; and
in subsection (b)(1)—
in subparagraph (A)—
by striking subsection (a)(1)
and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a)
; and
by inserting or former Vice President
after former President
each place it appears; and
in subparagraph (B), by striking subsection (a)(2) and (a)(3)
and inserting paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a)
.
Increased training
Beginning in the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Secret Service shall increase the annual number of hours spent training by officers and agents of the Secret Service, including officers of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division established under section 3056A of title 18, United States Code and agents operating pursuant to section 3056 of title 18, United States Code, including joint training between the two.
Training facilities
The Director of the Secret Service is authorized to construct facilities at the Rowley Training Center necessary to improve the training of officers of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division established under section 3056A of title 18, United States Code and agents of the United States Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail, operating pursuant to section 3056 of title 18, United States Code.
Hiring of additional officers and agents
The Director of the Secret Service is authorized to hire not fewer than—
200 additional officers for the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division established under section 3056A of title 18, United States Code; and
80 additional agents for the United States Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail, operating pursuant to section 3056 of title 18, United States Code.
Evaluation of vulnerabilities and threats
In general
The Director of the Secret Service shall devise and adopt improved procedures for evaluating vulnerabilities in the security of the White House and threats to persons protected by the Secret Service, including threats posed by unmanned aerial systems or explosive devices.
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Secret Service shall report on the implementation of subsection (a) to—
the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
Evaluation of use of technology
In general
The Director of the Secret Service shall devise and adopt improved procedures for—
evaluating the ways in which technology may be used to improve the security of the White House and the response to threats to persons protected by the Secret Service; and
retaining evidence pertaining to the duties referred to in paragraph (1) for an extended period of time.
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Secret Service shall report on the implementation of subsection (a) to—
the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
Evaluation of use of additional weaponry
The Director of the Secret Service shall evaluate the practicability of equipping agents and officers with weapons other than those provided to officers and agents of the Secret Service as of the date of enactment of this Act, including nonlethal weapons.
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that an assessment made by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Director of the Secret Service with regard to physical security of the White House and attendant grounds, and any security-related enhancements thereto should be accorded substantial deference by the National Capital Planning Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, and any other relevant entities.
