U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rick Scott (R-FL) recently introduced legislation that would assist federal agencies in preventing unauthorized access to leased federal government buildings.
Specifically, 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.
“Federal agencies often store sensitive materials at office buildings,” Peters, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee chairman, said. “Ensuring that the government is aware of security threats surrounding these physical spaces will help strengthen national security and prevent attempts by foreign adversaries and other malicious actors to steal this critical information.”
The lawmakers cited Government Accountability Office (GAO) concerns regarding federal agencies being 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.
“Our national security should always be a top priority,” Scott said. “This bill will help ensure federal government leased space are better protected from our adversaries who are trying to hurt us. We must do all we can to prevent attacks and protect our critical infrastructure from espionage.”