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1 1 (June 3, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/govepwb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research & Informing the legislitive debate s~nee 191 ice Updated June 3, 2024 Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security Introduct on 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. §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. It should be noted that political campaigns do not receive appropriated funds or other federal funds for security or for other services. Campaigns might, however, benefit from services that federal agencies provide, such as USSS protection or cybersecurity or physical security consultations that agencies such as DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provide. Publicly financed presidential campaigns-a decreasing phenomenon since at least the 2012 election cycle-could use payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF) to pay for security or for any other permissible campaign purpose. Through the PECF, taxpayers may designate $3 (or $6 for married couples filing jointly) from their individual income tax returns to support presidential campaigns that choose to accept public funds in exchange for observing spending limits, among other requirements. Because taxpayers choose or decline to make PECF designations, these amounts are not considered to be appropriated funds. Cand date and Norn nee 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 toward 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; however, the USSS does provide information concerning 2024 candidate security generally. 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 no longer necessary, 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.

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