HR 347: How Did Another Assault on Our Rights Slip Through Without Anybody Noticing? ~ Window Into Palestine

Congress passes bill severely curtailing civil liberties

Confronting the Israel Lobby

by Alison Weir

H.R.347, the `Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011′ has just been passed.

This makes it a federal offense, with imprisonment of at least up to one year, for any “unauthorized” person to enter or remain in a building — or the grounds — where the Secret Service is present or where there is an “an event designated as a special event of national significance.”

In other words, it is now a felony to have a demonstration near presidential candidates or a visiting head of state such as Benjamin Netanyahu. In fact, it is a felony to even be on the grounds where they are temporarily visiting, say at a campaign stop – even if you don’t yet know that this has now become an off-limits area.

By the way among events that have been “designated as a special event of national significance” are the Super Bowl and the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

The bill passed 388-to-3. Now it awaits Obama’s no doubt willing signature – just in time for the AIPAC convention, which starts this weekend.

I’m going to be on a panel on Saturday in conjunction with the Occupy AIPAC conference. The next day there will be protests against AIPAC buying our government — Obama and Romney are among those who will be pledging their allegiance to Israel.

If anyone strays too near the DC Convention Center, where this is being held, they will be subject to this new law if Obama has signed it by then. Perhaps this should be called the “Protect Netanyahu from Rae Abileah” bill.

The text of the bill is below. Below that is how our representatives voted.

For more discussion see: Goodbye, First Amendment: ‘Trespass Bill’ will make protest illegal

H.R.347 and this compendium of articles.

One Hundred Twelfth Congress of the United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the third day of January, two thousand and twelve

An Act

To correct and simplify the drafting of section 1752 (relating to restricted buildings or grounds) of title 18, United States Code.

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 `Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011′.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTED BUILDING OR GROUNDS.

Section 1752 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

-`Sec. 1752. Restricted building or grounds

`(a) Whoever–

`(1) knowingly enters or remains in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do so;

`(2) knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions;`(3) knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, obstructs or impedes ingress or egress to or from any restricted building or grounds; or`(4) knowingly engages in any act of physical violence against any person or property in any restricted building or grounds;or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).`(b) The punishment for a violation of subsection (a) is–

`(1) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if–

`(A) the person, during and in relation to the offense, uses or carries a deadly or dangerous weapon or firearm; or

`(B) the offense results in significant bodily injury as defined by section 2118(e)(3); and

`(2) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in any other case.

`(c) In this section–

`(1) the term `restricted buildings or grounds’ means any posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area–

`(A) of the White House or its grounds, or the Vice President’s official residence or its grounds;

`(B) of a building or grounds where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting; or

`(C) of a building or grounds so restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance; and

`(2) the term `other person protected by the Secret Service’ means any person whom the United States Secret Service is authorized to protect under section 3056 of this title or by Presidential memorandum, when such person has not declined such protection.’.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.

How our representatives voted:

VOTED NAY

VOTED AYE

Democrats Voting ‘Aye’

Republicans Voting ‘Aye’

ABSTAINED:

Republicans Voting ‘Abstain’

Editing: Debbie Menon

Alison Weir is an American freelance journalist and founder and Executive Director of If Americans Knew and president of The Council for National Interest. Ms. Weir writes and speaks on issues covering the situation in Palestine/Israel, addresses the historical context and provides critique of how the media covers issues which challenges U.S. foreign policy and well-funded lobby interests. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the world’s major sources of instability. Americans are directly connected to this conflict, and increasingly imperiled by its devastation. It is the goal of If Americans Knew to provide full and accurate information on this critical issue .For more information visit her website: www.ifamericansknew.org/aboutus/alisonweir.html. Ground breaking Articles by Alison Weir. She can be reached at contact@ifamericansknew.org.

See also:

Congress Passes Bill Severely Curtailing First Amendment Liberties

Ray McGovern Assaulted for Silent Protest at Hilary Clinton Speech.

AIPAC 101 — What Every American Should Know

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Friday, March 2

HR 347: How Did Another Assault on Our Rights Slip Through Without Anybody Noticing?