Senate Passes Sen. Rick Scott and Sen. Gary Peters’ Bipartisan Legislation to Secure Government Buildings from Foreign Adversaries

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Rick Scott and Senator Gary Peters to help ensure federal agencies are better able to prevent unauthorized access to buildings leased by the federal government has passed the Senate. The Secure Adjacent Federal Property Act will require the federal government to assess whether property located near federally leased space could provide opportunities for espionage attempts, cyber-attacks, or unauthorized access.

Senator Rick Scott said, "The federal government must do everything necessary to serve the American people while keeping public servants and the American people safe from espionage and terrorist attacks. One way to do that is making sure that federal facilities-that contain sensitive information-are kept safe from foreign entities looking to harm Americans and our way of life. I applaud the Senate for its passage of the Secure Adjacent Federal Property Act and urge our colleagues in the House to quickly take up and pass this important legislation that will bolster our national security."

Senator Gary Peters said, "Federal agencies often store sensitive materials in office buildings. By ensuring the government is vigilant about security threats to these physical spaces, we can strengthen national security and prevent foreign adversaries and other malicious actors from stealing critical information."

MORE…

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has repeatedly raised concerns that federal agencies are vulnerable to espionage and other intrusions because individuals could exploit security loopholes to gain unauthorized access to spaces used for classified operations or to store sensitive data. The senators' legislation would ensure there is government-wide guidance for agencies to ensure spaces located near high-security leased federal properties do not pose a threat to the safety and security of sensitive materials.

The Secure Adjacent Federal Property Act would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to coordinate an interagency study with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal Protective Service (FPS), and other relevant federal agencies to establish a security assessment process on space adjacent to high-security space leased by the federal government. The process would be used to screen for potential risks in occupancies and help secure sensitive office space.

###