SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Secret Service Im-
provements Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR OF 
THE SECRET SERVICE. 
Section 3056 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end: 
‘‘(h) The Director of the Secret Service shall be ap-
pointed by the President, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate. The Director of the Secret Service is 
the head of the Secret Service.’’. 
SEC. 3. RESTRICTED BUILDING OR GROUNDS. 
Section 1752(a) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(5) knowingly, and with the intent to enter a 
restricted building or grounds, causes any object to 
enter any restricted building or grounds, when, or so 
that, such object, in fact, impedes or disrupts the or-
derly conduct of government business or official 
functions;’’.
SEC. 4. THREATS AGAINST FORMER VICE PRESIDENTS. 
Section 879(a)(4) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 3056(a)(6)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (6) or (8) of section 3056(a)’’. 
SEC. 5. 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 offi-
cers of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Divi-
sion 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 train-
ing between the two. 
SEC. 6. TRAINING FACILITIES. 
The Director of the Secret Service is authorized to 
construct facilities at the Rowley Training Center nec-
essary 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, operating pur-
suant to section 3056 of title 18, United States Code. 
SEC. 7. HIRING OF ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND AGENTS. 
The Director of the Secret Service is authorized to 
hire not fewer than—
(1) 200 additional officers for the United States 
Secret Service Uniformed Division established under 
section 3056A of title 18, United States Code; and 
(2) 85 additional agents for the United States 
Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail, oper-
ating pursuant to section 3056 of title 18, United 
States Code. 
SEC. 8. EVALUATION OF VULNERABILITIES AND THREATS. 
(a) 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, includ-
ing threats posed by unmanned aerial systems or explosive 
devices. 
(b) 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— 
(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives; 
(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen-
ate; 
(3) the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives; 
(4) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(5) the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 9. EVALUATION OF USE OF TECHNOLOGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Secret Serv-
ice, in consultation with the Under Secretary for Science 
and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security, 
and other experts, shall devise and adopt improved proce-
dures for— 
(1) evaluating the ways in which technology 
may be used to improve the security of the White 
House and the response to threats to persons pro-
tected by the Secret Service; and 
(2) retaining evidence pertaining to the duties 
referred to in paragraph (1) for an extended period 
of time. 
(b) 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— 
(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
House of Representatives; 
(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Sen-
ate; 
(3) the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives;
(4) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and 
(5) the Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 10. EVALUATION OF USE OF ADDITIONAL WEAPONRY. 
The Director of the Secret Service shall evaluate the 
practicability of equipping agents and officers with weap-
ons other than those provided to officers and agents of 
the Secret Service as of the date of enactment of this Act, 
including nonlethal weapons. 
SEC. 11. SECURITY COSTS FOR SECONDARY RESIDENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Presidential Protection As-
sistance Act of 1976 (18 U.S.C. 3056 note) is amended 
by striking section 4 and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION REGARDING EXPENDITURES ON 
NON-GOVERNMENTAL PROPERTIES. 
‘‘The Secret Service shall notify the Committees on 
Appropriations of the House and Senate of any expendi-
tures for permanent facilities, equipment, and services to 
secure any non-Governmental property in addition to the 
one non-Governmental property designated by each 
protectee under subsection (a) or (b) of section 3.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The Presidential 
Protection Assistance Act of 1976 (18 U.S.C. 3056 note), 
as amended by this Act, is further amended—
(1) in section 3(b), by striking ‘‘any expendi-
tures by the Secret Service’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘imposed under section 4’’ and inserting 
‘‘any expenditures by the Secret Service for perma-
nent facilities, equipment, and services to secure the 
non-Governmental property previously designated 
under subsection (a) are subject to the requirements 
set forth in section 4’’; and 
(2) in section 5(c), by striking ‘‘within the limi-
tations imposed under section 4’’. 
SEC. 12. ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHICS PROGRAM OFFICE. 
Subject to the oversight of the Office of Chief Counsel 
of the United States Secret Service, the Director of the 
Secret Service shall establish an Ethics Program Office, 
consisting of a minimum of two employees, to administer 
the provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 
as amended, and to provide increased training to employ-
ees of the United States Secret Service. 
SEC. 13. 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 secu-
rity-related enhancements thereto should be accorded sub-
stantial deference by the National Capital Planning Com-