President Obama grants (signs bill from Congress) himself lifetime Secret Service protection

[Tx4obama]

Obama grants himself lifetime Secret Service protection

President Obama on Thursday signed a bill granting him -- along with George W. Bush and future ex-presidents -- lifetime Secret Service protection, reversing a 1990s law that limited post-presidency security.

The Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 restores lifetime protection for presidents and spouses who served after Jan. 1, 1997, and gives the children of former presidents protection until age 16.

The existing law, passed by Congress in 1994, ended protection for former presidents a decade after leaving office. But members of Congress and law enforcement officials had since come to see lifetime protection as more necessary as global threats have grown.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/01/obama-grants-himself-lifetime-secret-service-protection-153854.html?hp=f1

I am very happy to hear this !!!


Edited to add...

Statement by the Press Secretary on Bills Signed on January 10, 2013

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 1339, H.R. 1845, H.R. 2338, H.R. 3263, H.R. 3641, H.R. 3869, H.R. 3892, H.R. 4053, H.R. 4057, H.R. 4073, H.R. 4389, H.R. 5859, H.R. 6014, H.R. 6260, H.R. 6379, H.R. 6587, H.R. 6620, H.R. 6671, S. 925, S. 3202, S. 3666 and S.J. Res. 49

-snip-

H.R. 6620, the "Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012," which restores lifetime Secret Service protection of former Presidents who did not serve as President prior to January 1, 1997, and their spouses; and provides for protection of all children of former Presidents until they become 16 years of age;

-snip-

Full list of all the bills signed here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/01/10/statement-press-secretary-bills-signed-january-10-2013

[Walk away]

1. For President Obama and his family the global threat is nothing compared to...

the Rightwing American Nut Jobs with Guns!

[jenmito]

3. Exactly. n/t

[sad-cafe]

19. very true

he is the most threatened President

[jenmito]

2. GOOD! HE needs this more than any other president for obvious reasons. n/t

[Tx4obama]

4. My guess is that the only reason the GOPers agreed to this is because it also affects Bush. n/t

[hrmjustin]

5. I am glad to hear it.

I never understood the reasoning behind cutting protection after ten years.

[CTyankee]

6. prolly because nobody back then thought it was needed. No black guy and his

family had been elected to President...

[11 Bravo]

7. ^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

[liberalmuse]

8. First person I ever truly hated was W...

but he's compleeeetely safe and need not flatter himself. The only harm I'd do is the middle finger at his face on the tv, or at some silly quote of his online. Although he might need protection during one of his falling down drunk episodes. President Obama - not so much. The rightwingnuts are batshit. Glad to hear he and his family will have lifetime protection.

[cecilfirefox]

9. I'm okay with that. Seems like a no-brainer. <_^ nt

[kestrel91316]

10. Teabagger heads asplodin'! They were all salivating at the prospect of an unprotected

Obama in 2026.

[Cali_Democrat]

11. This is going to anger Republicans

How dare Obama grant himself lifetime Secret Service protection.

The nerve!

[Tx4obama]

12. Apparently the bill was written by a Republican, see below

Obama signs law giving himself, Bush lifetime Secret Service guard

-snip-

President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into a law a measure giving him, George W. Bush and future former presidents and their spouses lifetime Secret Service protection, the White House announced.

The legislation, crafted by Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, rolls back a mid-1990s law that imposed a 10-year limit on Secret Service protection for former presidents. Bush would have been the first former commander in chief affected.

At the time, lawmakers who supported the measure said it would save the government millions of dollars. They also argued that former presidents could hire private security firms (as Richard Nixon did after he decided to forgo Secret Service protection in 1985).

The bill had sailed through Congress with bipartisan support—it cleared the House of Representatives by voice vote in early December, and then it zipped through the Senate unopposed. The law also provides protection for former presidents’ kids until age 16. But “protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage.”

-snip-

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-signs-law-giving-himself-bush-lifetime-secret-184305122--politics.html

[Jamaal510]

13. I don't blame him.

I would do the same thing if I knew that more people have tried to assassinate me than any of my predecessors in my 1st term alone.

[PrincetonTiger2009]

16. Please please link to these..

I know some guy shot at the White house when Barack was out of town but my goodness what else did I miss??

..did they get him some more secret service guys or maybe some kind of pope mobile or something...I'm always so scared when he makes a speech..I keep thinking any second I'll see some Kennedy like tragedy : (

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. I don't have a problem with the law

but WTF is up with the article? Saying that he "granted himself" makes it seem like President Obama did something extraordinary/extra-constitutional- and just for himself to boot. Was it too much for Politico to say that he signed a bill that Congress passed? I really hate Politico and their slanted stories/headlines.

[NYC Liberal]

20. Ditto. It doesn't just apply to him. It applies to Bush and all future presidents too.

[Tx4obama]

15. A list of the bill's co/sponsors - from The House website

H.R.6620
Latest Title: Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012
Sponsor: Rep Gowdy, Trey (SC-4) (introduced 11/30/2012) Cosponsors (3)
Latest Major Action: 1/1/2013 Presented to President. COSPONSORS(3), ALPHABETICAL

Rep Conyers, John, Jr. (MI-14) - 11/30/2012
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" (VA-3) - 11/30/2012
Rep Smith, Lamar (TX-21) - 11/30/2012

--------

Also, over on The House website it says: the bill Agreed to by voice vote
So, there is no roll call vote list.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. I'm happy to hear this and have advocated that this be done. Each and every President should

have such protection, I could not believe when they changed it. That lifetime security detail and support should be provided without question.

[democrattotheend]

18. This headline is a little misleading

He granted himself, George W. Bush, and all future presidents lifetime protection, not just himself. Either way, I am glad he will have lifetime protection...he will need it.