Duval Times

Bipartisan legislation aimed at enhancing security measures for federal buildings has successfully passed through the U.S. House of Representatives and is now awaiting the president's signature to become law. The bill, known as the Improving Federal Building Security Act, was crafted by Senators Rick Scott and Gary Peters. It mandates that federal agencies respond to security recommendations from the Federal Protective Service (FPS) within 90 days.

Senator Rick Scott emphasized the importance of swift action on safety recommendations: "This good legislation will make sure that when the Federal Protective Service makes safety recommendations for federal offices and buildings, they are quickly reviewed and taken into consideration." He expressed gratitude towards colleagues in the House for their support.

Senator Gary Peters highlighted the need for secure environments for both federal employees and citizens: "Millions of dedicated federal employees and the Americans who are accessing critical government services visit federal buildings across the nation every day – and they deserve to feel safe and secure in those spaces."

The FPS, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for safeguarding over 9,000 federal facilities. Despite its crucial role, a Government Accountability Office report revealed that between fiscal years 2017 and 2021, agency facility security committees ignored 57 percent of FPS' recommendations. Only 27 percent of these suggestions were implemented when acknowledged.

Under this new legislation, agencies must provide explanations to DHS if they reject any FPS recommendations. Furthermore, DHS is tasked with developing a method to monitor agency responses to FPS assessments. This process includes reporting annually to Congress on how agencies address these security assessments.