link to page 1 link to page 1 
December 23, 2020
Inauguration Security and Operations
Introduction
Previous Inauguration Operations and
Since the 20th Amendment was ratified, the oath of office
Logistics
for President of the United States has been administered
Presidential inaugurations are public events that are
every four years at noon on January 20. In 2021, the
conducted primarily at the U.S. Capitol complex, on the
President- and Vice President-elect are to be officially
grounds of the National Mall, and in public spaces along
sworn in at noon on Wednesday, January 20. Planning for
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, for a traditional parade. Figure
the 2021 inauguration is being challenged by the
1 shows a map of the 2017 inauguration ceremonies on the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic;
West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
adjustments to traditional ceremonies, customs, and
practices are being made. This In Focus presents
Figure 1. 2017 Inauguration Ceremonies Map
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
Source: U.S. Capitol Police, “Inaugural Ceremonies-Map and
limit attendance at the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies to a live
Guidance,” press release, January 12, 2017, https://www.uscp.gov/
audience that resembles a State of the Union.” As such,
media-center/press-releases/inaugural-ceremonies-map-and-
each Member of Congress is to receive two tickets to the
guidelines.
swearing-in ceremony. Commemorative ticket packets that
Members can send to constituents are to be made available
A significant portion of American political leadership
after the ceremony.
typically attends presidential inauguration events. Due to
safety and security concerns, the inauguration ceremony
This is not the first case where inauguration plans have had
and surrounding events are designated a National Special
to be adjusted to address unusual circumstances. For
Security Event (NSSE). NSSEs are high-profile, and
example, when January 20 falls on a Sunday, public
usually public, events that require significant security
ceremonies have historically been moved to Monday,
because of the attendance of U.S. and foreign dignitaries
January 21, with the President-elect sworn in during a
and the event’s public or official nature. The United States
private ceremony at noon on January 20. In 1985, for
Secret Service (USSS) is designated as the primary federal
President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration, January 20
entity responsible for NSSE security.
fell on a Sunday and the public ceremony was scheduled for
the West Front of the Capitol the following day. The
The USSS, however, is not the only law enforcement or
January 21 ceremony, however, was moved indoors to the
first responder agency that has inauguration security
Capitol Rotunda because of freezing weather (an estimated
responsibilities. For example in 2017, the United States
7°F, with a wind chill of -10°F to -20°F at noon, the
Capitol Police, the Metropolitan DC Police Department, the
constitutionally specified time for the beginning of the new
U.S. Park Police, the Transportation Security
presidential term).
Administration, National Guard units, and other law
enforcement and first responder entities assisted the USSS
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Inauguration Security and Operations
by providing security as well as logistical and operational
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Police
support for the swearing-in ceremony and other inaugural
(WMATA);
events.
Federal Protective Service (FPS);
In addition to the swearing-in ceremony, the JCCIC
Arlington, VA Police Department;
historically hosts an inaugural luncheon in National
Alexandria, VA Police Department;
Statuary Hall. Following the swearing-in ceremony and
luncheon, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) and
Prince George’s County, MD Police Department;
the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)
Montgomery County, MD Police Department; and
inauguration team traditionally organize an inaugural
parade and numerous inaugural balls. The status and
U.S. Military District of Washington.
schedule of these events is undetermined at this time; all
would require special security operations.
Inauguration Security Funding
Agencies involved in inauguration security often do not
Inauguration Security Operations
receive specific account-level appropriations for
Even though attendance may be reduced on January 20,
inauguration security operations. Instead, inauguration
2021, security of the inauguration will still be paramount.
security costs are often included in regular fiscal year
When an event is designated an NSSE, USSS becomes the
planning and budget requests. In recent years, however,
lead federal agency in developing, exercising, and
Congress has appropriated additional funds to reimburse
implementing security operations. The goal of these
some local governments and federal agencies for
security operations, according to USSS, is to develop and
inauguration-related expenses and has provided specific
implement a seamless security plan that will create a safe
appropriations to the USSS for unanticipated costs related
and secure environment for the public, event participants,
to security operations for NSSEs, which could be used for
Secret Service protectees, and other dignitaries.
inauguration-related activities.
Inauguration security operational plans include the use of
One area where Congress has provided specific
security fencing, barricades, special access accreditation
appropriations to reimburse a local jurisdiction is the
badges, K-9 teams, and other security technologies. The
District of Columbia. For example, for the 2017
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pre-positions
inauguration, Congress appropriated $19.99 million for
Domestic Emergency Support Teams, Urban Search and
emergency planning and security costs in the District of
Rescue Teams, national Emergency Response Teams,
Columbia (P.L. 114-223, §127, 130 Stat. 913). To date,
Nuclear Incident Response Teams, and the Strategic
Congress has appropriated $13 million to the District of
National Stockpile and Mobile Emergency Response
Columbia for costs associated with the 2021 inauguration
System assets as part of their preparedness efforts. Specific
(P.L. 116-159, Div. A, §131, 134 Stat. 716).
teams and groupings of teams are designed based on the
event’s unique characteristics, coordination with other
Historically, limited appropriations for NSSEs as well as
federal entities, state and local jurisdictions, available local
the absence of account-level inauguration security
resources, and mutual aid agreements.
operations appropriations potentially constrains the ability
of the USSS or Congress to examine the costs associated
For the 2017 inauguration, the USSS Office of Protective
with inaugurations generally, and inauguration security
Operations/Dignitary Protective Division and the USSS
operations specifically.
Washington Field Office convened an initial planning
meeting with federal, state, and local law enforcement
For more information on the Joint Congressional
entities as the security perimeter typically includes the
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), see CRS
vicinity around downtown Washington, DC, and the
Report R42603, Joint Congressional Committee on
National Mall. Even though crowd sizes for the 2021
Inaugural Ceremonies: History, Membership, and
inauguration may be reduced, securing the inauguration
Inaugural Activities, by Jacob R. Straus. For more
remains a regional effort and the same entities convened for
information on inauguration tickets, see CRS In Focus
security planning for the 2017 inauguration will likely be
IF11688, Inaugural Tickets: Past Practices and
convened for the 2021 event, including:
Considerations for 2021, by Jacob R. Straus. For a history
of past inauguration security-related issues, see CRS Report
U.S. Capitol Police (USCP);
R42867, Inauguration Security: Operations,
Appropriations, and Issues for Congress, by Shawn Reese,
Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC
Jacob R. Straus, and Christina Miracle Finch.
(MPD);
U.S. Park Police (USPP);
Shawn Reese, Analyst in Emergency Management and
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI);
Homeland Security Policy
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
Virginia State Police;
Christina Miracle Finch, Senior Research Librarian
Maryland State Police;
IF11710
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Inauguration Security and Operations
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.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11710 · VERSION 1 · NEW