Gowdy's Bill Signed Into Law

Rep. Trey Gowdy reacted Thursday to President Barack Obama signing into law a bill Gowdy introduced to the House. 

The Presidential Protection Act provides lifetime Secret Service protection to all former presidents for life. Currently, any presidents elected after 1997 only receive 10 years of such protection. 

"The increased mobility and youth of still-living former Presidents, coupled with the national security threat posed to post 9/11 leaders who were instrumental in the war on terror, necessitates protection for life, as has been the case since the 1960's," Gowdy said in a prepared statement. 

While touring Spartanburg Thursday, Gowdy said that while he and Obama disagree on plenty, his bill being signed into law did demonstrate that collaboration is always possible.  

"I get asked a lot, do you guys ever agree on anything? I think this may actually be the fourth bill I've introduced that was actually signed into law," Gowdy said. "Now it's not earth-shattering reform on entitlement programs, but it does show that if you have the facts on your side, and you do have a good relationship with your colleagues, you can get things passed."

Gowdy said that as an example of the anomaly in the former presidential protection plan, former first lady Barbara Bush would receive Secret Service protection for life, while President George W. Bush, her son and the actual former president, would not have until the legislation passed.