Secret Service Improvements Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-1656
Sponsor: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6]
Introduced: 2015-03-26 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Department of Homeland Security
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Protection of officials

Summary:
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: 

Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015

 
Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) subject the appointment of the Director of the U.S. Secret Service to the advice and consent of the Senate; (2) prohibit knowingly causing any object to enter any restricted building or grounds so that such object impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of government business or official functions; and (3) include former Vice Presidents and members of their immediate families within the prohibition against threatening former Presidents and their families.
 
Requires the Director to increase the annual number of hours spent training by Secret Service officers and agents. 
 
Authorizes the Director to: (1) construct facilities at the Rowley Training Center necessary to improve the training of officers of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division and agents of the Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail, and (2) hire not fewer than 200 additional officers for the Division and 80 additional agents for the Detail.
 
Requires the Director to devise and adopt improved procedures for: (1) evaluating vulnerabilities in White House security and threats to persons protected by the Secret Service, including threats posed by unmanned aerial systems or explosive devices; and (2) evaluating the ways technology may be used to improve White House security and the response to threats to persons protected by the Service. 
 
Requires the Director to evaluate the practicability of equipping agents and officers with weapons other than those currently provided, including nonlethal weapons.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that an assessment made by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Director regarding physical security of the White House and attendant grounds should be accorded substantial deference by the National Capital Planning Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, and any other relevant entities.

action_date: 2015-07-27
text: 

Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to: (1) subject the appointment of the Director of the U.S. Secret Service to the advice and consent of the Senate; (2) prohibit knowingly causing any object to enter any restricted building or grounds so that such object impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of government business or official functions; and (3) prohibit knowingly and willfully threatening to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children who are under age 16.
 
(Sec. 5) The Director must increase the annual number of training hours for Secret Service officers and agents. 
 
(Sec. 6) The Director is authorized to: (1) construct facilities at the Rowley Training Center necessary to improve the training of officers of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division and agents of the Secret Service, and (2) hire not fewer than 200 additional officers for such Division and 85 additional agents for the Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail.
 
(Sec. 8) The Director shall devise and adopt improved procedures for: (1) evaluating vulnerabilities in White House security and threats to persons protected by the Secret Service, including threats posed by unmanned aerial systems or explosive devices; and (2) evaluating the ways technology may be used to improve White House security and the response to threats to persons protected by the Service.
 
(Sec. 10) The Director is required to evaluate the practicability of equipping agents and officers with weapons other than those currently provided, including nonlethal weapons.
 
(Sec. 11) Provisions of the Presidential Protection Assistance Act of 1976 requiring expenditures above a specified amount by the Secret Service for securing any non-governmental property in addition to the one non-governmental property designated by each protectee to be approved by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are replaced with provisions requiring the Secret Service to notify such Committees of any such expenditures.
 
(Sec. 12) Subject to the oversight of the Office of Chief Counsel of the Secret Service, the Director shall establish an Ethics Program Office to administer the provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 and to provide increased training to Secret Service employees.
 
(Sec. 13) This section expresses the sense of Congress that an assessment made by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Director regarding physical security of the White House and attendant grounds should be accorded substantial deference by the National Capital Planning Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, and any other relevant entities.

action_date: 2016-07-13
text: 

Secret Service Improvements Act of 2016

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to prohibit knowingly causing an autonomous or remotely operated vehicle or dangerous weapon to enter any restricted building or grounds so that it impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of government business or official functions.
 
The punishment for such offense is a fine, imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if during and in relation to the offense a deadly or dangerous weapon or firearm enters the restricted building or grounds.
 
The term "restricted buildings or grounds" is revised to include: (1) any restricted area of a building or grounds that the President or other person protected by the Secret Service has designated as a non-governmental property in accordance with the Presidential Protection Assistance Act of 1976, and (2) the airspace above any such restricted area.
 
(Sec. 3) The bill applies provisions prohibiting threats against former Presidents and others to threats against former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their minor children. 
 
(Sec. 4) The Secret Service shall increase the annual number of training hours for Secret Service officers and agents. The increased training must include the recommendations for training described in the United States Secret Service Protective Mission Panel Report, released on December 15, 2014.
 
(Sec. 5) The Secret Service is authorized to: (1) construct facilities at the Rowley Training Center necessary to improve the training of officers of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division and agents of the Secret Service, and (2) hire the number of officers for the Uniformed Division and agents for the Presidential Protective Detail necessary to satisfy the staffing recommendations made by such report.
 
(Sec. 7) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall devise and adopt improved procedures for identifying, evaluating, and addressing 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.
 
(Sec. 8) The Secret Service shall devise and adopt improved procedures for: (1) evaluating 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 (2) retaining evidence pertaining to such ways for an appropriate period.
 
(Sec. 9) The Secret Service: (1) shall evaluate the practicability of equipping agents and officers with additional non-lethal weapons, and (2) may evaluate the practicability of equipping agents and officers with weapons beyond those currently provided.
 
(Sec. 10) Provisions of the Presidential Protection Assistance Act of 1976 requiring specified congressional committee approval of expenditures above a specified amount by the Secret Service for securing any non-governmental property in addition to the one non-governmental property designated by each protectee are replaced with provisions requiring specified congressional committee notification of any such expenditures.
 
(Sec. 11) The bill requires the establishment of an Ethics Program Office in the Office of the Chief Counsel of the Secret Service to ensure compliance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
 
(Sec. 12) The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress with a review of this bill's implementation and an evaluation of the Secret Service's progress in implementing recommendations outlined in the panel report.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 560.
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-302.
action_date: 2016-07-13
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-302.
action_date: 2016-02-10
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-07-28
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 365 - 16 (Roll no. 468). (text: CR H5491-5492)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 365 - 16 (Roll no. 468).(text: CR H5491-5492)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5511-5512)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1656.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5491-5494)
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Mr. Goodlatte moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 174.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 114-231.
action_date: 2015-07-27
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 114-231.
action_date: 2015-07-15
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2015-07-15
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-07-14
text: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Discharged.
action_date: 2015-04-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-03-26
text: Introduced in House