[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1656 Engrossed in House (EH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1656

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To provide for additional resources for the Secret Service, and to 
               improve protections for restricted areas.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Secret Service Improvements 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 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.''.

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 following:
            ``(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 orderly 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 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.

SEC. 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, operating pursuant 
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, operating 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, 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;
            (4) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate; and
            (5) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the 
        House of Representatives.

SEC. 9. EVALUATION OF USE OF TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Secret Service, in 
consultation with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the 
Department of Homeland Security, and other experts, 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;
            (4) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate; and
            (5) the Committee on Oversight and Government 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 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.

SEC. 11. SECURITY COSTS FOR SECONDARY RESIDENCES.

    (a) In General.--The Presidential Protection Assistance 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 expenditures 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 expenditures by the 
        Secret Service'' and all that follows through ``imposed under 
        section 4'' and inserting ``any expenditures by the Secret 
        Service for permanent 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 limitations 
        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 employees 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 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.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 27, 2015.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
114th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1656

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

  To provide for additional resources for the Secret Service, and to 
               improve protections for restricted areas.