About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (March 14, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/goveoqh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con gressionol Research Service Informing the Iegislative debate since 1914 Updated March 14, 2024 Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security Introduction In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection of presidential candidates following the assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy. At that time, a congressional advisory committee (82 Stat. 170) was established to make recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury on which candidates should be protected. Threats against Presidents and presidential candidates have a long history in the United States. The USSS was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003. The Secretary of Homeland Security now has the responsibility of determining which presidential candidates are protected, following the recommendations of the advisory committee. The committee includes the Speaker and minority leader of the House, the Senate majority and minority leaders, and one additional member selected by the committee. There are two categories of candidates who receive USSS protection: (1) candidate protectees, who receive protection prior to receiving their political party's nomination; and (2) nominee protectees, who receive protection following their party's nomination. The USSS is statutorily required to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates within 120 days of the general presidential elections, as well as their spouses (18 U.S.C. Section §3056(a)). This In Focus discusses protection of presidential candidates-both before and after the party nominating conventions-and provides an overview of funding for security operations at the nominating conventions. Candidate and Nominee Protection Threats to presidential candidates, presidents-elect, and other USSS protectees typically reflect general threats to the President. For example, fears of kidnapping and assassination threats towards Abraham Lincoln began with his journey to Washington, DC, for the 1861 inauguration. The assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy later spotlighted threats to those campaigning for the presidency. The USSS does not provide information on any threats to protectees or investigations related to threats made against protectees. For the 2020 nominating conventions, Congress also has appropriated $100 million for security (P.L. 116- 93). Congress increased this amount to $150 million in 2024. (P.L. 118-42). Targeted presidential candidates include Theodore Roosevelt, Robert F. Kennedy, George C. Wallace, and Edward Kennedy. Four Presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln; James A. Garfield; William McKinley; and * John F. Kennedy (with USSS protection). The USSS was officially assigned to protect Presidents in 1906. Assassination attempts (identified by the USSS and media reports) on Presidents with USSS protection include: Harry S. Truman; Richard Nixon; Gerald R. Ford; Ronald Reagan; William J. Clinton; George W. Bush; Barack Obama; Donald Trump; and Joseph Biden. Presidential candidate security generally includes the detail of USSS special agents to protect the candidate and the locations to which the candidate travels. Protection involves related security plans and analysis of possible and actual threats. According to the USSS, protection of candidates occurs 24 hours a day until the protection is deemed unnecessary, the candidate ends his or her campaign or does not become the nominee, or the nominee does not become the President-elect. Table 1 lists the candidates and nominees who received USSS protection between 2000 and 2020. Table I. Candidate and Nominee Protection 2000-2020 Election Year Nominees Candidates 2000 George W. Bush Bill Bradley Al Gore 2004 John Kerry John Edwards 2008 Barack Obama Hillary Clinton John McCain 2012 Mitt Romney Herman Cain Rick Santorum Newt Gingrich 2016 Donald Trump Benjamin Carson Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders 2020 NA Joseph Biden 2024 NA NA Source: USSS correspondence with CRS on May 7, 2020.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most