[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 116 (Tuesday, September 26, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H8072-H8075]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BAYLEE'S LAW
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (4519) to amend the Public Buildings Act of 1959 concerning the
safety and security of children enrolled in childcare facilities
located in public buildings under the control of the General Services
Administration, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4519
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--BAYLEE'S LAW
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as ``Baylee's Law''.
SEC. 102. SAFETY AND SECURITY OF CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE
FACILITIES.
The Public Buildings Act of 1959 (40 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 22. SAFETY AND SECURITY OF CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE
FACILITIES.
``(a) Written Notice to Parents or Guardians.--
``(1) Initial notification.--Before the enrollment of any
child in a childcare facility located in a public building
under the control of the Administrator, the Administrator
shall provide to the parents or guardians of the child a
written notification containing--
``(A) an identification of the current tenants in the
public building; and
``(B) the designation of the level of security of the
public building.
``(2) Notification of new tenants.--After providing a
written notification to the parents or guardians of a child
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the
parents or guardians a written notification if any new
Federal tenant is scheduled to take occupancy in the public
building.
``(b) Notification of Serious Threats to Safety or
Security.--As soon as practicable after being informed of a
serious threat, as determined by the Administrator, that
could affect the safety and security of children enrolled in
a childcare facility in a public building under the control
of the Administrator, the Administrator shall provide notice
of the threat to the parents or guardians of each child in
the facility.
``(c) Report to Congress.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall transmit
to Congress a comprehensive report on childcare facilities in
public buildings under the control of the Administrator.
``(2) Contents.--The report to be transmitted under
paragraph (1) shall include--
``(A) an identification and description of each childcare
facility located in a public building under the control of
the Administrator; and
``(B) an assessment of the level of safety and security of
children enrolled in the childcare facility and
recommendations on methods for enhancing that safety and
security.
``(3) Windows and interior furnishings.--In conducting an
assessment of a childcare facility under paragraph (2)(B),
the Administrator shall examine the windows and interior
furnishings of the facility to determine whether adequate
protective measures have been implemented to protect children
in the facility against the dangers associated with windows
and interior furnishings in the event of a natural disaster
or terrorist attack, including the deadly effect of flying
glass.''.
TITLE II--FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE REFORM
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the ``Federal Protective Service
Reform Act of 2000''.
SEC. 202. DESIGNATION OF POLICE OFFICERS.
The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-318d), is amended--
(1) in section 1 by striking the section heading and
inserting the following:
``SECTION 1. POLICE OFFICERS.'';
(2) in sections 1 and 3 by striking ``special policemen''
each place it appears and inserting ``police officers'';
(3) in section 1(a) by striking ``uniformed guards'' and
inserting ``certain employees''; and
(4) in section 1(b) by striking ``Special policemen'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--Police officers''.
SEC. 203. POWERS.
Section 1(b) of the Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318(b)),
is further amended--
(1) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Additional powers.--Subject to paragraph (3), a
police officer appointed under this section is authorized
while on duty--
``(A) to carry firearms in any State, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory
or possession of the United States;
``(B) to petition Federal courts for arrest and search
warrants and to execute such warrants;
``(C) to arrest an individual without a warrant if the
individual commits a crime in the officer's presence or if
the officer has probable cause to believe that the individual
has committed a crime or is committing a crime; and
``(D) to conduct investigations, on and off the property in
question, of offenses that have been or may be committed
against property under the charge and control of the
Administrator or against persons on such property.
``(3) Approval of regulations by attorney general.--The
additional powers granted to police officers under paragraph
(2) shall become effective only after the Commissioner of the
Federal Protective Service issues regulations implementing
paragraph (2) and the Attorney General of the United States
approves such regulations.
``(4) Authority outside federal property.--The
Administrator may enter into agreements with State and local
governments to obtain authority for police officers appointed
under this section to exercise, concurrently with State and
local law enforcement authorities, the powers granted to such
officers under this section in areas adjacent to property
owned or occupied by the United States and under the charge
and control of the Administrator.''; and
(2) by moving the left margin of paragraph (1) (as
designated by section 202(4) of this Act) so as to
appropriately align with paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) (as
added by paragraph (1) of this subsection).
SEC. 204. PENALTIES.
Section 4(a) of the Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C.
318c(a)), is amended to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b),
whoever violates any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant
to section 2 shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, in an
amount not to exceed the maximum amount provided for a Class
C misdemeanor under sections 3571 and 3581 of title 18,
United States Code.''.
SEC. 205. SPECIAL AGENTS.
Section 5 of the Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318d), is
amended--
(1) by striking ``nonuniformed special policemen'' each
place it appears and inserting ``special agents'';
(2) by striking ``special policeman'' and inserting
``special agent''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following: ``Any such special
agent while on duty shall have the same authority outside
Federal property as police officers have under section
1(b)(4).''.
SEC. 206. ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE.
(a) In General.--The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-
318d), is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator of General Services
shall establish the Federal Protective Service as a separate
operating service of the General Services Administration.
``(b) Appointment of Commissioner.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal Protective Service shall be
headed by a Commissioner who shall be appointed by and report
directly to the Administrator.
``(2) Qualifications.--The Commissioner shall be appointed
from among individuals who have at least 5 years of
professional law enforcement experience in a command or
supervisory position.
``(c) Duties of the Commissioner.--The Commissioner shall--
``(1) assist the Administrator in carrying out the duties
of the Administrator under this Act;
``(2) except as otherwise provided by law, serve as the law
enforcement officer and security official of the United
States with respect to the protection of Federal officers and
employees in buildings and areas that are owned or occupied
by the United States and under the charge and control of the
Administrator (other than buildings and areas
[[Page H8073]]
that are secured by the United States Secret Service);
``(3) render necessary assistance, as determined by the
Administrator, to other Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies upon request; and
``(4) coordinate the activities of the Commissioner with
the activities of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings
Service.
Nothing in this subsection may be construed to supersede or
otherwise affect the duties and responsibilities of the
United States Secret Service under sections 1752 and 3056 of
title 18, United States Code.
``(d) Appointment of Regional Directors and Assistant
Commissioners.--
``(1) In general.--The Commissioner may appoint regional
directors and assistant commissioners of the Federal
Protective Service.
``(2) Qualifications.--The Commissioner shall select
individuals for appointments under paragraph (1) from among
individuals who have at least 5 years of direct law
enforcement experience, including at least 2 years in a
supervisory position.''.
(b) Pay Level of Commissioner.--Section 5316 of title 5,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the
paragraph relating to the Commissioner of the Public
Buildings Service the following:
``Commissioner, Federal Protective Service, General
Services Administration.''.
SEC. 207. PAY AND BENEFITS.
The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-318d), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 7. PAY AND BENEFITS.
``(a) Survey.--The Director of the Office of Personnel
Management shall conduct a survey of the pay and benefits of
all Federal police forces to determine whether there are
disparities between the pay and benefit of such forces that
are not commensurate with differences in duties or working
conditions.
``(b) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this section, the Director shall transmit to
Congress a report containing the results of the survey
conducted under subsection (a), together with the Director's
findings and recommendations.''.
SEC. 208. NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS.
(a) In General.--The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-
318d), is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 8. NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS.
``After the 1-year period beginning on the date of
enactment of this section, there shall be at least 730 full-
time equivalent police officers in the Federal Protective
Service. This number shall not be reduced unless specifically
authorized by law.''.
SEC. 209. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AND TRAINING.
The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-318d), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 9. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS AND TRAINING.
``The Commissioner of the Federal Protective Service shall
prescribe minimum standards of suitability for employment to
be applied in the contracting of security personnel for
buildings and areas that are owned or occupied by the United
States and under the control and charge of the Administrator
of General Services.''.
SEC. 210. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
The Act of June 1, 1948 (40 U.S.C. 318-318d), is further
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There is authorized to be appropriated from the Federal
Buildings Fund established by section 210(f) of the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C.
490(f)) such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
Act.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).
{time} 1115
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4519 amends the Public Buildings Act of 1959. There
are currently 113 child care centers and GSA controlled facilities
serving almost 8,000 children throughout the United States.
H.R. 4519 was introduced by my colleague and the chairman of our
subcommittee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks). I would like
to insert in the Record at this point in time that the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Franks) is not only very proud of this legislation, the
gentleman has been the leading light in making sure that this
legislation came to the floor; and but for the pea soup that now
envelops Washington, he would be here controlling the time on this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, this bill instructs the General Services Administration
to inform parents or guardians of children attending a child care
center located in a GSA-controlled building of the current Federal
agency tenants in that building. This important information is
something that the parents of children enrolled in the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1995 were not aware of.
This legislation in itself will not prevent senseless acts of
violence. It will, however, allow parents to be better informed when
choosing a child care center for their children.
This bill also requires the GSA to inform parents with children
enrolled in child care centers of the level of security of the
building, which is to be consistent with the Vulnerability Assessment
and recommendations from the study made by the Department of Justice.
Other provisions included in the bill require GSA to report to
Congress with recommendations for increasing safety and security and to
assess windows and the dangers of flying glass hazards in GSA-
controlled child care centers.
The bill's short title, ``Baylee's Law,'' is named after Baylee
Almon, a 1-year-old killed while attending the child care center
located in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City at
the time of its bombing in 1995.
Aren Almon-Kok, Baylee's mother, has focused her energies toward
creating a foundation that works to make people aware of the dangers of
flying glass and to also make child care centers throughout the United
States safer for children to attend.
I support this important measure, Mr. Speaker, and urge my colleagues
to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to echo the comments of my good friend and
neighbor the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) on his statement
relevant to this issue. I would like to commend the chairman of the
subcommittee the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks) for his work.
Rather than read my prepared statement that would reflect many of the
statistics and documentation that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
LaTourette) did such a fine job of doing, I would like to talk about
the genesis of this matter, Mr. Speaker.
When the Alfred P. Murrah Building was bombed, I would like to say
that our committee took a very serious look at security and there were
a number of bills that were presented; and certainly this bill is one
of those that leads to that sensitive nature of our committee to
address those security issues.
In addition, and also for information for the House, the other body
will be holding a hearing on H.R. 809, a bill that I sponsored that
would reform the Federal Protective Service.
So the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks), as chairman of the
committee, in this companion bill now takes a look at child care,
security, notices, we also look at changing the security format and to
make sure that our Federal buildings are more secure.
Let me just remind Congress that, at the time of the incident in
Oklahoma, the great tragedy in Oklahoma City, there were three Federal
buildings being guarded by one security guard who was a contract
worker. And that is not to demean contract workers, but that is to show
how we had taken for granted the security of our Federal buildings.
So I want to compliment the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman
Franks). I want to compliment the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Chairman
Shuster); the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking
member; the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and others who have
helped to make this particular bill available on the floor today; and
the ranking member of this committee, the gentleman from West Virginia
(Mr. Wise), who is not here today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4519, a bill to require the
Administrator of the General Services Administration [GSA] to provide
to parents enrolling children in childcare programs in public buildings
under the control of GSA the following information: first, the current
tenants in the building, and second, a designation of the level of
security in the building.
In addition the bill requires the Administrator of GSA to notify
parents of serious threats to the building. H.R. 4519 also requires
that GSA report to Congress on its childcare facilities including an
identification and description of
[[Page H8074]]
each childcare facility, and an assessment of the security at each
facility. Finally, the bill requires, in determining the security
assessment, the Administrator shall examine windows and interior
furnishings to determine if adequate measures are in place to protect
the children from flying glass and objects in the event of a natural
disaster or terrorist attack.
Since 1985 the Federal Government has been actively involved in
providing childcare services for Federal employees. Through GSA
licensing agreements GSA provides guidance, assistance, and oversight
to Federal agencies for the development of childcare centers. Total
enrollment is approximately 7,865 children ranging in age from infants
to 6 years. Eighty-four percent are enrolled full time at childcare
centers, with the greatest number of children in the infant care age
group.
Due to the increasing awareness of the threats to Federal buildings
the committee incorporated its long-standing interest in public safety
into a review of the childcare program. In order for a parent to make
an informed decision regarding enrolling a child in particular center
the subcommittee reported H.R. 4519, which requires GSA to provide
certain security information to potential parents.
Mr. Speaker, the committee has a long tradition of supporting all
measures that would increase security in Federal buildings. In addition
to this bill, I have a bill, H.R. 809, pending in the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee that would make the Federal
Protective Service an independent entity within the GSA. After holding
several hearings and receiving testimony from a variety of witnesses
including the GSA Office of Inspector General, the committee decided
the current management structure, which has the protective service as
part of the real estate program, is not the best way to provide a high
level, professional protection program. Under the current arrangement
there are serious issues involving command and control of Federal
protective officers. My bill would enhance security, and along with
this bill, would ensure the highest levels of security are available
for the employees and the public who use Federal buildings.
Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4519 and urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to make an observation, a real-life example
that touches the State that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) and
I share and show why the Franks bill is going to be so important.
We have a Federal building located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it has one
of the 113 child care centers located within it. Our committee has a
rule that, and I believe the threshold is $1.8 million, if the GSA
wants to engage in a remodeling program over $1.8 million, they need to
come before the Congress and get the consent of Congress.
The folks in Cleveland, Ohio, worked very hard to be under that $1.8
million threshold so that they could construct a child care center
within the Federal building in Cleveland, Ohio. Their proposed site, in
order to come in under this limit to avoid the scrutiny of the
Congress, was over the loading dock down there in downtown Cleveland.
We all remember how the explosives were delivered to the Alfred P.
Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in a truck. One of the
wonderful things that the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks) has
done by proposing this legislation and one of the good things that will
happen when the Congress passes this legislation is this Vulnerability
Assessment.
When parents who send their children to child care centers in Federal
buildings, not only when they have the opportunity to know whether or
not the Internal Revenue Service is located within the building, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, the CIA, or whoever may be a tenant in
the building, they will also have the opportunity to know where that
facility is located and what the risk is of a truck being delivered to
a loading dock in a situation that could present quite a danger to
their youngsters.
So this is a good bill, not only from that standpoint, but as I
mentioned during my earlier remarks, Mrs. Almon-Kok has spent a
considerable period of time working on the hazards of flying glass, and
this is going to have implications not only for what happens at child
care centers at GSA-controlled structures, but I think it is going to
have long-standing consequences for centers not in GSA control where
children may be located for a period of time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, one of the things in H.R. 809 that I
think is very important as a companion bill now to this piece of
legislation is the Federal Protective Services, after the Alfred P.
Murrah tragedy, had recommended that there would be no more child care
centers near loading docks or loading dock areas.
Quite frankly, looking at the bureaucratic side of this, the Public
Buildings Service, which really has the control over the law
enforcement, did not take that with great regard, as evidenced by the
statement of my friend from that which occurred up there in Cleveland.
So if we are to take a look at now the whole situation, with one
contract guard guarding three facilities, there was a major tragedy,
then the Federal Protective Service recommended to the Public Buildings
Service, who is a real estate arm, do not put child care facilities
near loading docks, now we have in Cleveland, Ohio, a disregard for the
Federal Protective Services' bit of recommendation, if you will,
relative to that whole area.
Let me just say this: I think it is very important that this bill not
only be passed but that H.R. 809 be passed by the other body, for the
following reason: Law enforcement issues should not be determined by
real estate agents. They should be determined by law enforcement
personnel.
I notice now that the chairman of our subcommittee is here. Before I
close, I want to compliment him on his work with law enforcement and
with security. And this bill, as I have stated earlier, is a good
companion bill to H.R. 809. There is no reason why in Cleveland, Ohio,
a child care center should be built over a loading dock. If it were not
for the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and others, we might not
have that opportunity to question it. But this legislation would
prohibit that, and I commend him.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my loquacious friend,
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the balance of my time be
yielded to the chairman of our subcommittee, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Franks) to dispense as he sees fit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hansen). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, 5 years have passed since 168 Americans, including 19
children, lost their lives in the bombing of the Murrah Federal
Building in Oklahoma City. But the image of the lifeless body of little
Baylee Almon being carried from that building in the arms of an
Oklahoma City fireman is one that still haunts us all.
Over the past months, as we have worked to get this important
legislation to the floor, I have had the good fortune to get to work
with and know Mrs. Aren Almon-Kok. Aren was Baylee Almon's mother.
Like most parents, Aren assumed that when she dropped her daughter
off at the Federal building in Oklahoma City every morning, Baylee
would be perfectly safe. After all, the building was located in an area
with security guards and other enhanced safety features that we do not
find in most private buildings.
But as she recounted for me the events of that horrendous day in
April 5 years ago, Aren revealed a chilling fact. She had no idea that
the building that provided day-care services for her child housed a
variety of Federal agencies that are often the target of terrorist
threats, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well
as the FBI.
Neither the General Services Administration, which oversees the
building, nor the child care center had ever informed the parents about
high-profile law enforcement agencies being housed in that building or
any other security risks involved in that building.
In fact, the commissioner of Public Buildings Service, Mr. Robert
Peck, admitted that GSA does not notify parents or other occupants of
the building about the potential safety concerns that residents in that
building may be exposed to.
[[Page H8075]]
The Commissioner stated that if parents are concerned about this
issue, they should look at the building director.
That response, Mr. Speaker, is simply not acceptable.
Parents deserve to know all the facts that could impact their
children's safety and security before they decide to enroll their child
in a particular day-care center located in a Federal building.
We have before us today Baylee's Law. It will require the General
Services Administration to affirmatively reach out to parents who place
their child in Federal day-care centers and provide them with written
information about the other tenants of the building and the security
designation of that building.
GSA would also be required to notify parents of any new tenants that
move into the building when the new tenant could increase the safety
threat to the facility.
In the event that the GSA receives information about a serious threat
that could jeopardize the safety of children in a day-care center,
parents are to be notified immediately.
Mr. Speaker, this important legislation can provide a new level of
protection for the 7,600 children who are now being cared for at day-
care centers located in 114 Federal buildings across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our subcommittee staff, Matt Wallen and
Susan Britta for their fine work; and I urge all of my colleagues to
support this important piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters for the
Record.
House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure,
Washington, DC, September 19, 2000.
Hon. Dan Burton,
Chairman, Committee on Government Reform, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman, Next week the House may consider H.R.
4519, ``Baylee's Law.'' While H.R. 4519 primarily contains
provisions related to matters solely in the jurisdiction of
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I
recognize that certain provisions in the bill regarding the
General Services Administration's policies concerning
childcare facilities located in public buildings are under
the jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform.
I agree that allowing this bill to go forward in no way
impairs upon your jurisdiction over these provisions, and I
would be pleased to place this letter and any response you
may have in the Congressional Record during our deliberations
on this bill. In addition, if a conference is necessary on
this bill, I would support any request to have the Committee
on Government Reform be represented on the conference with
respect to the matters in question.
I look forward to passing this bill on the Floor soon and
thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Bud Shuster,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform,
Washington, DC, September 19, 2000.
Hon. Bud Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: In response to your request and in the
interest of expediting Floor consideration of the bill, the
Committee will not exercise its jurisdiction over H.R. 4519--
Baylee's Law. The bill amends the Public Buildings Act of
1959 concerning public safety and security of children
enrolled in childcare facilities located in public buildings
under the control of the General Services Administration.
As you know, House Rules grant the Committee on Government
Reform wide jurisdiction regarding the overall economy,
efficiency and management of government operations and
activities. This action should not, however, be construed as
waiving the Committee's jurisdiction over future legislation
of a similar nature. I would also request that members of the
Government Reform Committee be appointed as conferees if a
conference committee is appointed.
I look forward to working with you on this and other issues
throughout the remainder of the 106th Congress.
Sincerely,
Dan Burton,
Chairman.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I commend Economic Development
Subcommittee Chairman Franks for his interest in safety at childcare
centers, and especially his interest in stopping the terrible
destruction and injury caused by flying glass.
The General Services Administration (GSA) childcare program is a very
successful program, with 85 percent of its childcare centers accredited
by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Approximately 7,000 youngsters, ranging in age from infancy to 5 years
old, are enrolled in GSA childcare centers located in 113 Federal
facilities across the country.
H.R. 4519 will ensure that parents of children in GSA childcare
centers have the best available information regarding the tenants at
these Federal facilities. H.R. 4519 instructs GSA to notify parents
before they enroll their children in a childcare center located in a
Federal building of the current Federal agencies occupying the building
and the level of security of that particular Federal building. It also
requires GSA to notify parents of any change in the Federal tenants in
the building. This bill will ensure that this information is readily
available to parents.
The short title for this bill is ``Baylee's Law''. It is named for
Baylee Almon, a one-year-old child attending the childcare center
located in the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City at the bombing
in 1995. She and fourteen other small children were killed in that
tragic incident.
I urge all Members to support this bill.
Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4519, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read:
``A bill to amend the Public Buildings Act of 1959
concerning the safety and security of children enrolled in
childcare facilities located in public buildings under the
control of the General Services Administration, to provide
for reform of the Federal Protective Service, and for other
purposes.''
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________