H.R. 1656 — Introduced in House

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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secret Service Improvements Act of 2015. 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 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. . 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 following: (5) 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; . 4. Threats against former Vice Presidents Section 879 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), respectively; and (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) a former Vice President or a member of the immediate family of a former Vice President; ; and (2) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) by striking subsection (a)(1) and inserting paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a); and (ii) by inserting or former Vice President after former President each place it appears; and (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking subsection (a)(2) and (a)(3) and inserting paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a). 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 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. 6. 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. 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) 80 additional agents for the United States Secret Service Presidential Protective Detail, operating pursuant to section 3056 of title 18, United States Code. 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, including 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 Senate; (3) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and (4) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 9. Evaluation of use of technology (a) In general The Director of the Secret Service shall devise and adopt improved procedures 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 protected 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 Senate; (3) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and (4) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 10. 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. 11. 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.