Classified Information Protection Act of 2016

Classified Information Protection Act of 2016

This bill amends the federal criminal code to specify that the government need not prove intent to harm the United States when prosecuting a: (1) person entrusted with national defense information who permits the loss or removal of such information through gross negligence; or (2) government employee, contractor, or consultant who commits unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.

[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6034 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6034

To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify certain required mens 
   rea elements for offenses pertaining to the handling of sensitive 
      information by government officials, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2016

Mr. Ratcliffe (for himself, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. Gowdy, Mr. Chaffetz, Mr. 
  Hurd of Texas, and Mr. Poe of Texas) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify certain required mens 
   rea elements for offenses pertaining to the handling of sensitive 
      information by government officials, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Classified Information Protection 
Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF CERTAIN MENS REA ELEMENTS.

    (a) Gathering, Transmitting or Losing Defense Information.--Section 
793 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(i) In a prosecution under subsection (f), the Government need 
not prove that the defendant intended to cause harm to the United 
States.''.
    (b) Unauthorized Removal and Retention of Classified Documents or 
Material.--Section 1924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) In a prosecution under subsection (a), the Government need 
not prove that the defendant intended to cause harm to the United 
States.''.
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