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Cogesoa Resarc Servic
0
Updated September 10, 2019
Protection of Executive Branch Officials
Overview own agencies or departments protected 36 officials and 6
Due to the October 2018 attempted bombing attacks on officials were protected by personnel from other agencies or
current and former government officials (and others), there departments, such as the USSS and te U.S. Marshals
may be congressional interest in protective details for Service.
government officials. Congress may also be interested due
to media reports of costs or budgetary requests associated Since GAO's 2000 report, it appears tere has been no
with funding security details for the Secretaries of some significant research on protecting executive branch
departments or agencies, including the Department of officials. Considering the increased federal government and
Education, the Department of Labor, and the Environmental congressional interest in security of federal personnel and
Protection Agency. Attacks against political leaders and facilities since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, tere may be a
other public figures has been a consistent security issue in need for further research to inform analysis of related
the United States. Since the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) issues.
started protecting Presidents in 1906, seven assaults or
assassination attempts have occurred, with one resulting in Personal Protection Detail Authority
a death (President John F. Kennedy). Prior to USSS The USSS and te State Department are the only two
protection, three sitting presidents have been assassinated agencies that have specific statutory autority to protect
(Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and William executive branch officials. Specifically, the USSS protects
McKinley). In addition, official records and news accounts the following individuals under 18 U.S.C. §3056(a):
show that there have been at least 20 attacks against
Members of Congress since 1789. For further details on * President, Vice President, President- and Vice
violence against Members of Congress, see CRS Report President-elect;
R41609, Violence Against Members of Congress and Their
Staff Selected Examples and Congressional Responses. a immediate families of those listed above;
According to a 1998 U.S. Marshals Service report, data on * former Presidents, their spouses, and their children
assassinations and assassination attempts against federal under the age of 16;
officials suggest that elected officials are more likely to be
targeted than tose holding senior appointed positions. The i former Vice Presidents; their spouses, and their children
U.S. Marshal Service report quoted a 1970 report on under the age of 16; for six months after leaving office
political violence (commissioned by President Lyndon but te Department of Homeland Security Secretary can
Johnson) indicating that extend this period due to threats.
the more powerful and prestigious te office, the e visiting heads of foreign states or governments;
greater the likelihood of assassination.... [T]here is
a much greater likelihood that the occupant of or * distinguished foreign visitors and official United States
aspirant to an elected office will be the victim of an representatives on special missions abroad; and
assassination tan will the occupant of an appointed prtec
position, even though the position may be a *maoprsdnilndvcpeietaladdts
powerful one, such as Secretary of State, Justice of within 120 days of the general elections, and their
the Supreme Court, or Attorney General. spouses.
In a 2000 report, te Government Accountability Office The State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)
(GAO) stated that it was only able to identify one instance special agents protect te following individuals under 22
when a Cabinet Secretary was physically harmed as part of U.S.C. §2709(3):
an assassination attempt, which occurred when one of the
Lincoln assassination conspirators attacked then-Secretary * heads of foreign state, official representatives of a
of State William Seward in his home in 1865. Even with foreign government, and oter distinguished U.S.
few attempted attacks against appointed officials, federal visitors, while in the United States;
law enforcement entities have been providing personal
protection details (PPD) to select executive branch officials * the Secretary of State, Deputy Secretary of State, and
since at least 1994. In total, GAO reported tat from official U.S. government representatives, in the United
FY1997 through FYb1999, security protection was provided States or abroad;
to officials holding 42 executive branch positions at 31
executive branch agencies. Personnel from 27 different members of the immediate family of persons described
agencies protected the 42 officials: personnel from teir above;
https://crsreports.congr](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govbazl0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)