U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
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U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
Updated September 23, 2024
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R48129
Congressional Research Service
SUMMARY
U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
Contents
- Introduction
- Notes on FY2025-2027 USSS Funding
- FY2025 Reconciliation Funding
- FY2026 Appropriations Lapse
- FY2027 Request
- Protection Mission Funding and Staffing
Figures
Summary
Members of Congress periodically focus on the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and its protection mission. The USSS has been protecting Presidents, other specific federal government officials, and their families for over 100 years. Over these years, USSS protection activities and operations have expanded, not only with an increase in the number of protected individuals, but in statutory responsibility as the lead federal agency for National Special Security Events (NSSE).
Over the past century, congressional legislative action onregarding the USSS has focused primarily on its protection mission. The last two enacted non-appropriations measures were the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-257) and Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-265). These laws amend previous laws to address the USSS’scope of USSS's protection of former Presidents and their families, and permits the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to offer USSS investigative assistance for mass killings when requested by state or local authorities. Annually, Congress (through appropriations and budget hearings) provides funding and guidance so the USSS can execute its statutorily required duties as detailed in 18 U.S.C. 3056, including its protection mission. This report provides funding and personnel data related to the USSS generally, and its protection mission specifically.
R48129
September 23, 2024
Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy
William L. Painter Specialist in Homeland Security and Appropriations
U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
Congressional Research Service
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Protection Mission Funding and Staffing ........................................................................................ 2
Figures
Figure 1. Total USSS Appropriations FY2016-FY2025 Request ................................................... 3
Figure 2. USSS Protection-Specific Funding FY2016-FY2025 Request ....................................... 3
Figure 3. Funding for USSS Protection-Specific Operations and Support Programs
FY2016-FY2024 .......................................................................................................................... 5
Figure 4. USSS Appropriations for Presidential Campaigns and National Special Security
Events FY2016-FY2025 Request ................................................................................................. 6
Figure 5. USSS Total Staffing ......................................................................................................... 7
Tables
Table 1. Appropriations for the USSS, FY2016-FY2025 Request .................................................. 4
Table 2. USSS Protection-Specific Operations and Support Programs FY2016-FY2024 .............. 5 Table 3. Presidential Campaigns and National Special Security Events FY2016-FY2025
Request ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Table 4. USSS Total Staffing ........................................................................................................... 8
Contacts
Author Information .......................................................................................................................... 9
U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
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Introduction
Introduction
The USSS conducts two mandated missions—criminal investigations and protection of persons and facilities. The criminal investigation mission (focused primarily on financial crimes) is the USSS’'s oldest mission; however, the protection mission receives the most public and media attention. The protection mission includes providing security for specific government officials and facilities.1 The USSS is statutorily directed to protect the following individuals:2
• the President, the Vice President,3 the President-elect, and the Vice President- elect;
•
the immediate families of those listed above;
•
former Presidents and their spouses for their lifetime;4
•
children of a former President who are under 16 years of age;
•
visiting heads of foreign states or governments, and other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad when the President directs that such protection be provided;
•
major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and, within 120 days of the general presidential election, the spouses of such candidates;5 and
•
former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children who are under 16 years of age, for a period of not more than six months after the date the former Vice President leaves office.6
Separate from protecting specific mandated individuals and facilities such as the White House complex, the Vice President’'s official residence at the Naval Observatory, the Treasury Building, and foreign diplomatic missions in Washington, DC,7 the USSS is also responsible for security activities related to National Special Security Events (NSSEs), which include inauguration ceremonies, major party quadrennial national conventions, as well as some international conferences and events8 held in the United States.
This fact sheet provides information on USSS funding and staffing related to the USSS protective mission described above.
Specifically, this fact sheet provides
Annual Appropriations for the U.S. Secret Service, FY2016-FY2027 (Table 1, Figure 1, Figure 2); USSS Protection-specific Funding, FY2016-FY2025 (Table 2, Figure 3); USSS End-of-Year Staffing, 2008-2025 (Table 3, Figure 4).Notes on FY2025-2027 USSS Funding FY2025 Reconciliation FundingThe FY2025 reconciliation law (P.L. 119-21) included more than $191 billion in multi-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the USSS. Specifically, Section 100057 included $1.17 billion for "additional United States Secret Service resources, including personnel, training facilities, programming, and technology; and performance, retention, and signing bonuses for qualified United States Secret Service personnel." Funding was not provided in the traditional structure of appropriations or activities, and no spending plan has been made available. Therefore, that funding cannot necessarily be attributed to USSS's protective activities, and unless specifically noted otherwise, it is not included in this analysis.
FY2026 Appropriations LapseAnnual appropriations lapsed for the federal government on October 1, 2025, and a partial government shutdown went into effect. After interim continuing resolutions restored funding on November 12, 2025, appropriations lapsed again for DHS (and therefore the USSS) after February 13, 2026. This lapse is ongoing as of the date of publication (details on the lapse can be found in CRS Report R48874, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations: FY2026 State of Play, by William L. Painter).
Funding from P.L. 119-21 intended for border security was used initially to pay DHS law enforcement salaries during the lapse in appropriations. (Law enforcement personnel, including USSS law enforcement officers, generally work without pay during lapses in annual appropriations.) Those funds are currently being used to pay all DHS salaries (including non-law-enforcement USSS personnel) until they are exhausted or FY2026 DHS appropriations are enacted.
Although FY2026 appropriations have not been enacted, the House and Senate versions of the DHS appropriations measure have identical amounts and structures for USSS appropriations. These amounts and structures are reflected in the FY2026 entries found later in this product. As aforementioned, FY2026 entries do not reflect funds made available under P.L. 119-21, although those funds are available for obligation through FY2029.
FY2027 RequestOn April 3, 2026, the Administration released its $118 billion FY2027 budget request for DHS. The budget request included $3.55 billion in discretionary spending for the USSS, but contained very limited information on the projected use of funds provided to DHS under P.L. 119-21. Therefore, FY2027 values in this report only reflect the Administration's request for additional annual USSS funding, rather than any P.L. 119-21 funding planned for use in FY2027.
Protection Mission Funding and Staffing1 For further information on the USSS, and other federal agencies, protection mission, see CRS Report R47731, Who Protects Whom? Federal Official and Judicial Security and Personal Protective Details, by Shawn Reese.
2 18 U.S.C. §3056(a).
3 Or other officer next in the order of succession to the Office of the President.
4 Except the protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage.
5 “Major presidential and vice-presidential candidates” means those individuals identified as such by the DHS Secretary after consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the other members of the committee.
6 The DHS Secretary shall have the authority to direct the USSS to provide temporary protection for any of these individuals at any time thereafter if the DHS Secretary or designee determines that information or conditions warrant such protection.
7 84 Stat. 74-75 authorizes the USSS to secure these facilities and 90 Stat. 2475 authorizes the USSS to temporarily secure the President’s and Vice President’s personally owned residences.
8 For more information on special events and National Special Security Events, see CRS Report R47439, Special Event Security and National Special Security Events: A Summary and Issues for Congressional Consideration, by Shawn Reese.
U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
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Specifically, this fact sheet provides
• Annual Appropriations for the U.S. Secret Service, FY2016-FY2025 (Table 1, Figure 1, and Figure 2);
• USSS Protection-specific Funding, FY2016-FY2025 (Table 2 and Figure 3);
• USSS Funding for Presidential Campaigns and National Special Security Events, FY2025 (Table 3 and Figure 4); and
• USSS End-of-Year Staffing, 2008-2023 (Table 4 and Figure 5).
Protection Mission Funding and Staffing
The following tables and figures provide data on USSS total and protection-specific funding, USSS protection-specific operations and support programs funding, presidential campaign and NSSE funding, and end-of-fiscal year staffing.
The USSS does not provide detailed public reporting on its use of funding andor personnel for protective missions, and staff move back and forth between protection and criminal investigation activities as duties require. Therefore, CRS has used two specific subdivisions of appropriations made in appropriations detail tables to identify funding specifically requested by the White House and directed by Congress to the USSS protection mission: Protective Operations, within the USSS Operations and Support appropriation; and Protection Infrastructure, within the Procurement, Construction, and Improvements appropriation.9
9 USSS also receives Research and Development funding, which periodically goes to protection-related work, but is not specifically directed by Congress on a regular basis and cannot be consistently tracked by CRS.
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Figure 1. T otal USSS Appropriations
FY2016-FY2025 Request
(Thousands of $ in Nominal Budget Authority)
Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports.
Figure 2. USSS Protection-Specific Funding
FY2016-FY2025 Request
(Thousands in $ of Nominal Budget Authority)
($millions of nominal budget authority) Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports, and the resource table included in the President's FY2027 budget request. Notes: * - FY2025 also shows $1.17 billion made available by P.L. 119-21, Section 100057, for "additional United States Secret Service resources, including personnel, training facilities, programming, and technology; and performance, retention, and signing bonuses for qualified United States Secret Service personnel." This funding is available through FY2029. ** - the light orange column shows the USSS funding level included in the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the FY2026 DHS appropriations act, which has yet to be enacted as of April 27, 2026.
($millions of nominal budget authority) Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports, and the resource table included in the President's FY2027 budget request.Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports.
Figure 1. Total USSS Appropriations, FY2016-FY2027
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Table 1. Appropriations for the USSS, FY2016-FY2025 Request
(Thousands of $ in Nominal Budget Authority)
Fiscal Year Request Enacted Difference
2016 1,939,122 1,933,545 -5,577
Protection-specific n/aa 764,012 n/a
2017 1,891,119 2,045,578 154,459
Protection-specific 782,284 836,244 53,960
2018 1,957,495 2,006,524 49,029
Protection-specific 843,487 875,865 32,378
2019 2,151,624 2,248,159 96,535
Protection-specific 932,220 969,987 37,767
2020 2,308,977 2,415,845 106,868
Protection-specific 1,066,622 1,087,426 20,804
2021 2,360,538 2,438,001 77,463
Protection-specific 1,036,739 1,074,812 38,073
2022 2,571,917 2,611,888 39,971
Protection-specific 1,071,716 1,092,269 20,553
2023 2,703,509 2,822,180 118,671
Protection-specific 1,137,149 1,210,902 73,753
2024 3,009,778 3,087,797 78,019
Protection-specific 1,428,248 1,492,010 63,762
2025 2,938,381
Protection-specific 1,283,064
($millions of nominal budget authority) Fiscal Year Request Enacted Difference 2016 1,939,122 1,933,545 5,577 n/a 764,012 n/a 2017 1,891,119 2,045,578 154,459 Protection-Specific 782,284 836,244 53,960 2018 1,957,495 2,006,524 49,029 Protection-Specific 843,487 875,865 32,378 2019 2,151,624 2,248,159 96,535 Protection-Specific 932,220 969,987 37,767 2020 2,308,977 2,415,845 106,868 Protection-Specific 1,066,622 1,087,426 20,804 2021 2,360,538 2,438,001 77,463 Protection-Specific 1,036,739 1,074,812 38,073 2022 2,571,917 2,611,888 39,971 Protection-Specific 1,071,716 1,092,269 20,553 2023 2,703,509 2,822,180 118,671 Protection-Specific 1,137,149 1,210,902 73,753 2024 3,009,778 3,087,797 78,019 Protection-Specific 1,428,248 1,492,010 63,762 2,938,381 3,087,797 149,416 Protection-Specific 1,283,064 1,492,010 208,946 3,294,853 3,250,071 -44,782 Protection-Specific 1,425,427 1,464,415 38,988 3,451,861 TBD TBD Protection-Specific 1,629,610 Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports, and the resource table included in the President's FY2027 budget request.Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports. * - FY2025 does not show funding made available by P.L. 119-21, as it is not specifically assigned to protective or non-protective purposes. ** - the light orange column shows the USSS funding level included in the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the FY2026 DHS appropriations act, which has yet to be enacted as of April 26, 2026.
Table 1. USSS Total Appropriations, FY2016-FY2027
Protection-Specifica
2025b
2026b
2027b
a. Due to restructuring of appropriations accounts in FY2017, a comparable breakdown of Protections Protection-specific activities is not possible for FY2016 or earlier.
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Figure 3. Funding for USSS Protection-Specific Operations and Support Programs
FY2016-FY2024
(Thousands of $ in Enacted Amounts)
($millions of nominal budget authority) Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports, and the resource table included in the President's FY2027 budget request.Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports. Notes: Other USSS Operations and Support , FY2016-FY2027
Table 2. USSS Protection-Specific Operations and Support Programs
FY2016-FY2024
(Thousands of $ in Enacted Amounts)
, FY2016-FY2027
($millions of nominal budget authority)Protection of
Persons and
Facilities,
Enacted
Protective
Countermeasures,
Enacted
Protective
IntelligenceIntelligence,
Enacted
Presidential
Campaigns and
National Special Security Events,
Enacted
2016 509,825 55,000 38,700 149,487
2017 627,987 58,193 44,490 51,734
2018 711,227 46,862 47,814 4,500
2019 740,895 56,917 49,395 37,494
2020 754,527 61,756 49,955 155,199
2021 818,795 68,182 52,155 83,725
2022 863,549 87,762 74,167 25,000
2023 907,707 82,506 94,565 73,294
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Protection of
Persons and
Facilities,
Enacted
Protective
Countermeasures,
Enacted
Protective
Intelligence,
Enacted
Presidential
Campaigns and
National Special Security Events,
Enacted
2024 1,031,766 72,374 84,973 243,699
2016 509,825 55,000 38,700 149,487 2017 627,987 58,193 44,490 51,734 2018 711,227 46,862 47,814 4,500 2019 740,895 56,917 49,395 37,494 2020 754,527 61,756 49,955 155,199 2021 818,795 68,182 52,155 83,725 2022 863,549 87,762 74,167 25,000 2023 907,707 82,506 94,565 73,294 2024 1,031,766 72,374 84,973 243,699 2025* 1,031,766 72,374 84,973 243,699 2026** 1,146,668 98,072 89,628 33,880 2027*** 1,223,276 102,362 84,152 154,122 Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports, and the resource table included in the President's FY2027 budget request. Notes: Other USSS funding contributes to the protective mission as well, including mission support and research and development efforts, but usage of specific amounts of those funds cannot be authoritatively attributed by CRS. Due to restructuring of appropriations accounts in FY2017, a comparable breakdown of Protection-specific activities is not possible for FY2016 or earlier. Funding for FY2016-FY2025 reflects enacted levels from appropriations measures. * - FY2025 and later columns do not show funding made available by P.L. 119-21, as it is not assigned to specific missions. ** - FY2026 funding levels included in the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the FY2026 DHS appropriations act, which has yet to be enacted as of April 26, 2026. *** - FY2027 reflects the levels in the Administration's budget request.
(Actual reported by OPM as of end-of-fiscal year) Source: CRS analysis of OPM data and DHS Budget request documents. Notes: Pos. = positions; FTE = Full-Time-Equivalents. Funded positions and FTE for FY2016-FY2025 are reported from DHS Overview tables reflecting completed fiscal years. FY2027 reflects the Administration's budget request. Funding from P.L. 119-21 is not reflected in funded positions or FTE. (Actual reported by OPM as of end-of-fiscal year) Fiscal Year OPM Total (Actual) Funded Positions Funded Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) 2008 6,579 2009 6,763 2010 6,913 2011 7,025 2012 6,761 2013 6,484 2014 6,338 2015 6,304 2016 6,415 6,714 6,481 2017 6,743 6,772 6,588 2018 7,191 7,150 6,934 2019 7,463 7,650 7,359 2020 7,526 7,777 7,647 2021 7,811 7,896 7,796 2022 7,788 8,105 7,961 2023 7,689 8,305 8,163 2024 8,066 8,382 8,303 2025 8,269 8,582 8,340 2026* 8,252 n/a n/a 2027 n/a 9,239 9,033 Source: CRS analysis of OPM data and DHS Budget request documents. Notes: Pos. = positions; FTE = Full-Time-Equivalents. Funded positions and FTE for FY2016-FY2025 are reported from DHS Overview tables reflecting completed fiscal years, and do not appear to reflect funding from P.L. 119-21. * - reflects latest available OPM data as of date of publication (Feb. 2026). FY2026 funded positions and FTE not yet available. FY2027 reflects the Administration's budget request. Funding from P.L. 119-21 is not reflected in funded positions or FTE. For further information on the USSS, and other federal agencies, protection mission, see CRS Report R47731, Who Protects Whom? Federal Official and Judicial Security and Personal Protective Details, by Shawn Reese. 18 U.S.C. §3056(a). Or other officer next in the order of succession to the Office of the President. Except the protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage. "Major presidential and vice-presidential candidates" means those individuals identified as such by the DHS Secretary after consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the other members of the committee. The DHS Secretary shall have the authority to direct the USSS to provide temporary protection for any of these individuals at any time thereafter if the DHS Secretary or designee determines that information or conditions warrant such protection. 84 Stat. 74-75 authorizes the USSS to secure these facilities and 90 Stat. 2475 authorizes the USSS to temporarily secure the President's and Vice President's personally owned residences. For more information on special events and National Special Security Events, see CRS Report R47439, Special Event Security and National Special Security Events: A Summary and Issues for Congressional Consideration, by Shawn Reese. USSS also receives Research and Development funding, which periodically goes to protection-related work, but is not specifically directed by Congress on a regular basis and cannot be consistently tracked by CRS.Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports. Notes: Other USSS Operations and Support funding contributes to the protective mission as well,
Table 3. USSS Staffing: Actual and Funded
Footnotes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
but usage of specific amounts of those funds cannot be authoritatively attributed by CRS.
Figure 4. USSS Appropriations for Presidential Campaigns and National Special
Security Events
FY2016-FY2025 Request
(Thousands of $ in Requested and Enacted Amounts)
Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports. Note: Due to restructuring of appropriations accounts in FY2017, a comparable breakdown of Protection- specific activities is not possible for FY2016 or earlier.
Table 3. Presidential Campaigns and National Special Security Events
FY2016-FY2025 Request
(Thousands of $ in Requested and Enacted Amounts)
Fiscal Year Requested Enacted Change
2016 n/a 149,487 n/a
2017 48,634 51,734 3,100
2018 4,500 4,500 —
2019 28,500 37,494 8,994
2020 155,172 155,199 27
2021 83,725 83,725 —
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Fiscal Year Requested Enacted Change
2022 19,000 25,000 6,000
2023 52,994 73,294 20,300
2024 209,741 243,699 33,958
2025 103,567
Source: CRS analysis of appropriations bills and reports. Note: Due to restructuring of appropriations accounts in FY2017, a comparable breakdown of Protection- specific activities is not possible for FY2016 or earlier.
Figure 5. USSS T otal Staffing
(As of the end of Fiscal Years 2008-2023)
Source: CRS Analysis of OPM Fedscope Data.
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Table 4. USSS T otal Staffing
(As of the end of Fiscal Years 2008-2023)
Fiscal Year
FedScope
Total
2008 6,579
2009 6,763
2010 6,913
2011 7,025
2012 6,761
2013 6,484
2014 6,338
2015 6,304
2016 6,415
2017 6,743
2018 7,191
2019 7,463
2020 7,526
2021 7,811
2022 7,788
2023 7,689
Source: CRS Analysis of OPM Fedscope Data.
U.S. Secret Service Protection Mission Funding and Staffing: Fact Sheet
Congressional Research Service R48129 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED 9
Author Information
Shawn Reese Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy
William L. Painter
Specialist in Homeland Security and Appropriations
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.