By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
The U.S. House approved legislation Monday aimed at reforming the beleaguered Secret Service, which has been beset by lax security, poor management and scandals.
The House passed the Secret Service Improvement Act by a 375-16 vote and gained almost universal support from both parties, the Washington Examiner reports.
The bill calls for more oversight, more training and reforms to the agency’s vulnerabilities.
The Secret Service also will be able to hire at least 80 new agents and 200 additional division officers.
One big change under the bill: The senate must approve the Secret Service director, who previously was appointed exclusively by the president.
“The person entrusted to not only protect the president, but to also head a $1.5 billion federal law enforcement agency, should be subject to the same process of advice and consent of the Senate as his counterparts at other comparable agencies,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., who authored the bill.
