The U.S. House of Representatives passed a legislation on Monday to prolong the protections for Vice President Cheney by the Secret Service after he leaves office next January.
The bill, which was sent to the Senate for consideration, provides permanent authority for the Secret Service to protect future ex-vice presidents, their spouses and their children under 16 years old for up to six months after they leave office.
Beyond that, the Homeland Security Department can decide to extend the protection if it is still required by the situation, and the vice president can also choose to take or decline it, the bill rules.
It is the first time to write into law the common practice of extending federal protection for the vice president and his family. Without a law, it had to require authorization from Congress or the White House to be put into practice.
However, the prolonged protection on Cheney and his family is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cost about 4 million U.S. dollars in the fiscal year 2009.
U.S. former presidents used to be able to have federal protection for the rest of their lives if they choose to, but a congressional act that came into effect in 1997 shortened the protection period for the future ex-presidents and their families to 10 years, unless they are subjected to specific threats.
Source:Xinhua
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