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1 1 (December 23, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/goveabt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service InIg rmia the leist dat sinc e ra Inauguration Security and Operations December 23, 2020 Introduction Since the 20th Amendment was ratified, the oath of office for President of the United States has been administered every four years at noon on January 20. In 2021, the President- and Vice President-elect are to be officially sworn in at noon on Wednesday, January 20. Planning for the 2021 inauguration is being challenged by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic; adjustments to traditional ceremonies, customs, and practices are being made. This In Focus presents information related to 2021 inauguration security and operations based on past inaugural activities and announced activities to date. Current Inaugural Plans Inaugural events, pursuant to public law (36 U.S.C. §501), include the day on which the Presidential inaugural ceremony is held, the 5 calendar days immediately preceding that day, and the 4 calendar days immediately following that day. While the swearing-in ceremony is the only constitutionally required event, other events have become part of the inaugural festivities. These typically include an inaugural luncheon, an inaugural parade, and inaugural balls. The swearing-in ceremony is hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) and is most commonly held on the West Front steps of the U.S. Capitol. The JCCIC has announced that due to the global pandemic ... [it] is committed to traditional, inclusive, and safe ceremonies and will continue to monitor the situation and provide information to all Members as it comes available. On December 16, 2020, the JCCIC announced that this global pandemic and the rise in COVID-19 cases warranted a difficult decision to limit attendance at the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies to a live audience that resembles a State of the Union. As such, each Member of Congress is to receive two tickets to the swearing-in ceremony. Commemorative ticket packets that Members can send to constituents are to be made available after the ceremony. This is not the first case where inauguration plans have had to be adjusted to address unusual circumstances. For example, when January 20 falls on a Sunday, public ceremonies have historically been moved to Monday, January 21, with the President-elect sworn in during a private ceremony at noon on January 20. In 1985, for President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration, January 20 fell on a Sunday and the public ceremony was scheduled for the West Front of the Capitol the following day. The January 21 ceremony, however, was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda because of freezing weather (an estimated 70F, with a wind chill of -100F to -200F at noon, the constitutionally specified time for the beginning of the new presidential term). Previous Inauguration Operations and Logistics Presidential inaugurations are public events that are conducted primarily at the U.S. Capitol complex, on the grounds of the National Mall, and in public spaces along Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, for a traditional parade. Figure 1 shows a map of the 2017 inauguration ceremonies on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. Figure I. 201 7 Inauguration Ceremonies Map prttzr K- <~ >1 N -~ T <U ts ~ P ½ /r Source: U.S. Capitol Police, Inaugural Ceremonies-Map and Guidance, press release, January 12, 2017, https://www.uscp.gov/ media-center/press-releases/inaugural-ceremonies-map-and- guidelines. A significant portion of American political leadership typically attends presidential inauguration events. Due to safety and security concerns, the inauguration ceremony and surrounding events are designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE). NSSEs are high-profile, and usually public, events that require significant security because of the attendance of U.S. and foreign dignitaries and the event's public or official nature. The United States Secret Service (USSS) is designated as the primary federal entity responsible for NSSE security. The USSS, however, is not the only law enforcement or first responder agency that has inauguration security responsibilities. For example in 2017, the United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan DC Police Department, the U.S. Park Police, the Transportation Security Administration, National Guard units, and other law enforcement and first responder entities assisted the USSS ittps://crsreportscongress.gov

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