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Updated January 8, 2021
Inauguration Security and Operations
Introduction
the West Front of the Capitol the following day. The
Since the 20th Amendment was ratified, the oath of office
January 21 ceremony, however, was moved indoors to the
for President of the United States has been administered
Capitol Rotunda because of freezing weather (an estimated
every four years at noon on January 20. In 2021, the
7°F, with a wind chill of -10°F to -20°F at noon, the
President-elect Joseph R. Biden and Vice President-elect
constitutionally specified time for the beginning of the new
Kamala D. Harris are to be officially sworn in at noon on
presidential term).
Wednesday, January 20. Planning for the 2021 inauguration
is being challenged by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease
Previous Inauguration Operations and
2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic and the events at the U.S.
Logistics
Capitol on January 6, 2021, during Congress’s counting and
Presidential inaugurations are public events that are
certification of the November 2020 presidential election
conducted primarily at the U.S. Capitol complex, on the
electoral votes. Inauguration security and operations
grounds of the National Mall, and in public spaces along
adjustments to traditional ceremonies, customs, and
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, for a traditional parade. Figure
practices are being made. This In Focus presents
1 shows a map of the 2017 inauguration ceremonies on the
information related to 2021 inauguration security and
West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
operations based on past inaugural activities and announced
activities to date. Additional security details are expected to
Figure 1. 2017 Inauguration Ceremonies Map
be implemented due to the Capitol security breach. This
document will be updated if they are publicly announced.
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
Source: U.S. Capitol Police, “Inaugural Ceremonies-Map and
audience that resembles a State of the Union.” As such,
Guidance,” press release, January 12, 2017, https://www.uscp.gov/
each Member of Congress is to receive two tickets to the
media-center/press-releases/inaugural-ceremonies-map-and-
swearing-in ceremony. Commemorative ticket packets that
guidelines.
Members can send to constituents are to be made available
after the ceremony.
A significant portion of American political leadership
typically attends presidential inauguration events. Due to
This is not the first case where inauguration plans have had
safety and security concerns, the inauguration ceremony
to be adjusted to address unusual circumstances. For
and surrounding events are designated a National Special
example, when January 20 falls on a Sunday, public
Security Event (NSSE). NSSEs are high-profile, and
ceremonies have historically been moved to Monday,
usually public, events that require significant security
January 21, with the President-elect sworn in during a
because of the attendance of U.S. and foreign dignitaries
private ceremony at noon on January 20. In 1985, for
and the event’s public or official nature. The United States
President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration, January 20
Secret Service (USSS) is designated as the primary federal
fell on a Sunday and the public ceremony was scheduled for
entity responsible for NSSE security.
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Inauguration Security and Operations
The USSS, however, is not the only law enforcement or
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI);
first responder agency that has inauguration security
Virginia State Police;
responsibilities. For example, in 2017, the United States
Maryland State Police;
Capitol Police, the Metropolitan DC Police Department, the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Police
U.S. Park Police, the Transportation Security
(WMATA);
Administration, National Guard units, and other law
Federal Protective Service (FPS);
enforcement and first responder entities assisted the USSS
Arlington, VA, Police Department;
by providing security as well as logistical and operational
Alexandria, VA, Police Department;
support for the swearing-in ceremony and other inaugural
Prince George’s County, MD, Police Department;
events.
Montgomery County, MD, Police Department; and
U.S. Military District of Washington.
In addition to the swearing-in ceremony, the JCCIC
historically hosts an inaugural luncheon in National
Inauguration Security Funding
Statuary Hall. Following the swearing-in ceremony and
Agencies involved in inauguration security often do not
luncheon, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) and
receive specific account-level appropriations for
the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR)
inauguration security operations. Instead, inauguration
inauguration team traditionally organize an inaugural
security costs are often included in regular fiscal year
parade and numerous inaugural balls. The status and
planning and budget requests. In recent years, however,
schedule of these events is undetermined at this time; all
Congress has appropriated additional funds to reimburse
would require special security operations.
some local governments and federal agencies for
inauguration-related expenses and has provided specific
Inauguration Security Operations
appropriations to the USSS for unanticipated costs related
Even though attendance may be reduced on January 20,
to security operations for NSSEs, which could be used for
2021, security of the inauguration will still be paramount.
inauguration-related activities.
When an event is designated an NSSE, USSS becomes the
lead federal agency in developing, exercising, and
One area where Congress has provided specific
implementing security operations. The goal of these
appropriations to reimburse a local jurisdiction is the
security operations, according to USSS, is to develop and
District of Columbia. For example, for the 2017
implement a seamless security plan that will create a safe
inauguration, Congress appropriated $19.99 million for
and secure environment for the public, event participants,
emergency planning and security costs in the District of
Secret Service protectees, and other dignitaries.
Columbia (P.L. 114-223, §127, 130 Stat. 913). To date,
Congress has appropriated $13 million to the District of
Inauguration security operational plans include the use of
Columbia for costs associated with the 2021 inauguration
security fencing, barricades, special access accreditation
(P.L. 116-159, Div. A, §131, 134 Stat. 716).
badges, K-9 teams, and other security technologies. The
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pre-positions
Historically, limited appropriations for NSSEs as well as
Domestic Emergency Support Teams, Urban Search and
the absence of account-level inauguration security
Rescue Teams, national Emergency Response Teams,
operations appropriations potentially constrains the ability
Nuclear Incident Response Teams, and the Strategic
of the USSS or Congress to examine the costs associated
National Stockpile and Mobile Emergency Response
with inaugurations generally, and inauguration security
System assets as part of their preparedness efforts. Specific
operations specifically.
teams and groupings of teams are designed based on the
event’s unique characteristics, coordination with other
For more information on the Joint Congressional
federal entities, state and local jurisdictions, available local
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), see CRS
resources, and mutual aid agreements.
Report R42603, Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies: History, Membership, and
For the 2017 inauguration, the USSS Office of Protective
Inaugural Activities, by Jacob R. Straus. For more
Operations/Dignitary Protective Division and the USSS
information on inauguration tickets, see CRS In Focus
Washington Field Office convened an initial planning
IF11688, Inaugural Tickets: Past Practices and
meeting with federal, state, and local law enforcement
Considerations for 2021, by Jacob R. Straus. For a history
entities as the security perimeter typically includes the
of past inauguration security-related issues, see CRS Report
vicinity around downtown Washington, DC, and the
R42867, Inauguration Security: Operations,
National Mall. Even though crowd sizes for the 2021
Appropriations, and Issues for Congress, by Shawn Reese,
inauguration may be reduced, securing the inauguration
Jacob R. Straus, and Christina Miracle Finch.
remains a regional effort and the same entities convened for
security planning for the 2017 inauguration will likely be
Shawn Reese, Analyst in Emergency Management and
convened for the 2021 event, including:
Homeland Security Policy
Jacob R. Straus, Specialist on the Congress
U.S. Capitol Police (USCP);
Christina Miracle Finch, Senior Research Librarian
Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC
(MPD);
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U.S. Park Police (USPP);
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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
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