Hr 347

[SAWYER]

http://rt.com/usa/news/348-act-tresspass-buildings-437/
Slowly but surely the government is squishing the will of the citizens, when does it end?

 

[ch33zw1z]

lame, what are they doing to make them so scared of their own citizens? hmmm...

 

[FuzzyBee]

The US House of Representatives voted 388-to-3 in favor of H.R. 347 late Monday...

I guess one side hasn't cornered the market on this kind of stuff, eh?

 

[Fern]

Looks to me like it only covers places/situations where the Secret Service is involved. If so, that's an important bit to note.

I.e., it's security related (think of that Congresswoman in AZ) and probably codifies existing behavior. We had President HW Bush here in my town many years. You don't screw around when the Secret Service is around. They don't play.

The fact that both parties voted for it overwhelmingly is likely telling.

Fern

 

[boomerang]

Looks to me like it only covers places/situations where the Secret Service is involved. If so, that's an important bit to note.

I.e., it's security related (think of that Congresswoman in AZ) and probably codifies existing behavior. We had President HW Bush here in my town many years. You don't screw around when the Secret Service is around. They don't play.

The fact that both parties voted for it overwhelmingly is likely telling.

Fern

Under the law, any building or grounds where the president is visiting — even temporarily — is covered, as is any building or grounds “restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance."

Too broadly worded for my tastes.

Extend it out to the point of ridiculousness and even temporarily extending SS protection to anyone in government at a given location puts this into play.

Covered under the bill is any person protected by the Secret Service. Although such protection isn't extended to just everybody, making it a federal offense to even accidentally disrupt an event attended by a person with such status essentially crushes whatever currently remains of the right to assemble and peacefully protest.

The paragraph above is interpretation. Is it correct? Rights must be eroded slowly and with justification that appears to the average man to be reasonable. Suddenly one day you realize how much you've lost. By then it's too late.

To oversimplify, this is why we need extreme viewpoints. The truth is somewhere in the middle but reasonable people will listen. It's important to remember that politician's are not looking out for our best interests.

 

[Fern]

Too broadly worded for my tastes.

Like I said above, GWH Bush came here. The Secret Service was all over the place. Bush was speaking at a state festival held in our little town. They threatened to shoot anybody sticking their head of their window (these were people in offices and apartments near the stage where Bush spoke).

My point is the Secret Service has always had this power (arrest etc.), looks like they are finally codifying it. I.e., I don't see any real change here.

Fern

 

[Kadarin]

This sounds like it wouldn't survive a court challenge.

 

[HomerJS]

Does this mean at any GOP or Democratic presidential rally nobody can hold up a protest sign?

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Like I said above, GWH Bush came here. The Secret Service was all over the place. Bush was speaking at a state festival held in our little town. They threatened to shoot anybody sticking their head of their window (these were people in offices and apartments near the stage where Bush spoke).

And that's ok with you? :hmm:

 

[woodie1]

They both suck. Watching people on this forum defend or attack one side or the other is quite amusing. When it comes down it, they both want more power, more for them, less for us.

A whole lot less for us.

 

[cybrsage]

I did not know the first amendment protected people's rights to enter restricted government buildings. Interesting...lets all rush into the Oval Office while the president is there....

or not.

 

[cybrsage]

For those who tried to follow the failed link from the news article, here is the bill:

H.R.347 -- Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 (Engrossed Amendment Senate - EAS)


HR 347 EAS
In the Senate of the United States,
February 6, 2012.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R.347 ) entitled `An Act to correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 (relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United States Code.', do pass with the following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

• This Act may be cited as the `Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011'.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTED BUILDING OR GROUNDS.

• Section 1752 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`Sec. 1752. Restricted building 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) the 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 any posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area--

• • • `(A) of the White House or its grounds, or the Vice President's official residence or its grounds;

• • • `(B) of a building or grounds where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting; or

• • • `(C) of a building or grounds 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 or by Presidential memorandum, when such person has not declined such protection.'.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr347eas/pdf/BILLS-112hr347eas.pdf

The house version is here, it is the same:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr347eh/pdf/BILLS-112hr347eh.pdf

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Did you read that completely? See sub-section (a) where they define 'restricted buildings or grounds'.