1635

Protection of Government Property—Other Federal Buildings

The Administrator of the General Services Administration is responsible for the maintenance and operation of federal offices and buildings throughout the United States. See 40 U.S.C. § 301 et seq. One of the duties of the administrator is to protect all of the property under his control. In order to fulfill this responsibility the administrator is authorized to make rules and regulations for this property. See 40 U.S.C. § 318a. Violations of these regulations are criminal offenses, punishable by thirty days imprisonment, a $50 fine, or both. See 40 U.S.C. § 318c. The GSA regulations promulgated pursuant to 40 U.S.C. § 318a can be found in Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations. In addition, there are several statutes which apply to specific federal office buildings. For example, 2 U.S.C. §§ 167a-g prohibits soliciting, malicious property damage, possession of firearms and fireworks, speeches or parades in the Library of Congress. A similar set of prohibitions, applicable to the Capitol Building and grounds, can be found at 40 U.S.C. § 193 et seq. Finally, statutes of general application, such as 18 U.S.C. §  1361, would also extend to federal office buildings. Moreover, where the jurisdictional prerequisites have been met, offenses committed within these buildings may also violate the federal enclave laws. See this Manual at 1630. [cited in USAM 9-66.100]