Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2780) to correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 (relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United States Code, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2780

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 ``Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2010''.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTED BUILDINGS OR GROUNDS.

Section 1752 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:``§1752. Restricted buildings or grounds

``(a) Whoever--

``(1) knowingly enters or remains in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so;

``(2) knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions;

``(3) knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, obstructs or impedes ingress or egress to or from any restricted building or grounds; or

``(4) knowingly engages in any act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds;

or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).

``(b) The punishment for a violation of subsection (a) is--

``(1) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if--

``(A) any person, during and in relation to the offense, uses or carries a deadly or dangerous weapon or firearm; or

``(B) the offense results in significant bodily injury as defined by section 2118(e)(3); and

``(2) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in any other case.

``(c) In this section--

``(1) the term `restricted buildings or grounds' means a posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area of a building or grounds--

``(A) where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting; or

``(B) so restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance; and

``(2) the term `other person protected by the Secret Service' means any person whom the United States Secret Service is authorized to protect under section 3056 of this title when such person has not declined such protection.''.

SEC. 3. PAYGO COMPLIANCE.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rooney) each will control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia?

There was no objection.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 2780 will assist the Secret Service to perform their protective duties.

Current Federal law prohibits individuals from entering or remaining in areas cordoned off as restricted because of protection being provided by the Secret Service. This bill would simply clarify that the prohibition under the existing statute only applies to those who do not have lawful authority to be in those areas.

The men and women of the Secret Service conduct themselves with valor and professionalism while carrying out the protective function of their agency. They provide protection for a variety of people and events, including the President of the United States and national special security events. This bill will assist the men and women of the Secret Service in doing their jobs.

I commend my colleague from Florida (Mr. Rooney) for his work on this bill, which eliminates the ambiguity in the present law. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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