Congressional Access to Bureaucratic Offices Act

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5465 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5465

To require the head of each agency to allow members of Congress access 
         to certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2023

Mr. Alford (for himself, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Mr. Williams of Texas, 
 Mr. Luetkemeyer, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Mann, Mr. 
  Donalds, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. C. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mr. 
 Fallon, Mr. Meuser, Mrs. Hinson, Mr. Clyde, Mr. Fry, Mr. Edwards, Ms. 
 Van Duyne, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Crane, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Issa, 
      Mr. Burlison, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Collins, Mr. Van Orden, Ms. 
 Malliotakis, and Mr. Jackson of Texas) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the head of each agency to allow members of Congress access 
         to certain Federal buildings, 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 ``Congressional Access to Bureaucratic 
Offices Act'' or the ``CABO Act''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO FEDERAL BUILDINGS.

    (a) In General.--The head of each agency shall allow Members of 
Congress and congressional staff members to access the building that 
serves as the headquarters of such agency during regular business 
hours.
    (b) Requirements.--
            (1) Identification.--The head of each agency shall require 
        a Member of Congress seeking access to a building described in 
        subsection (a) to provide congressional identification.
            (2) Congressional staff.--The head of each agency shall 
        allow a congressional staff member to access a building 
        described in subsection (a) if--
                    (A) such staff member is accompanied by the Member 
                of Congress that employs the staff member; and
                    (B) such staff member provides a valid 
                congressional staff identification badge upon seeking 
                access to such building.
    (c) Extenuating Circumstances.--The requirements of subsection (a) 
shall apply during an extenuating circumstance and any restriction on 
access to a building that is imposed on the public during such a 
circumstance shall not apply to a Member of Congress or an applicable 
congressional staff member.
    (d) Exception for Areas Requiring Security Clearance.--The 
requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply to any part of a 
building for which a security clearance at the level of secret or 
higher is required for entry.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Congressional identification.--The term ``congressional 
        identification'' means any form of identification issued to 
        Members by the Clerk or Sergeant at Arms of the House of 
        Representatives (in the case of a Member of the House of 
        Representatives) or by the Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and 
        Doorkeeper of the Senate (in the case of a Senator).
            (3) Congressional staff member.--The term ``congressional 
        staff member'' means a full-time staff member of the House of 
        Representatives or the Senate.
            (4) Extenuating circumstance.--The term ``extenuating 
        circumstance'' means an event for which--
                    (A) the President has declared an emergency 
                pursuant to section 202 of the National Emergencies Act 
                (50 U.S.C. 1622); or
                    (B) the Secretary of Health and Human Services has 
                declared an emergency pursuant to section 319 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d).
            (5) Member of congress.--The term ``Member of Congress'' 
        means a Member of the House of Representatives or a Senator.

SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO.

    No additional amounts are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this Act. Such Act shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
appropriated to the head of the agency.
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