Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security

Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security

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Updated June 3, 2024
Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security
Introduction
Candidate and Nominee Protection
In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
Threats to presidential candidates, Presidents-elect, and
protection of presidential candidates following the
other USSS protectees typically reflect general threats to
assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate
the President. For example, fears of kidnapping and
Senator Robert F. Kennedy. At that time, a congressional
assassination threats toward Abraham Lincoln began with
advisory committee (82 Stat. 170) was established to make
his journey to Washington, DC, for the 1861 inauguration.
recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury on which
The assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy later
candidates should be protected. Threats against Presidents
spotlighted threats to those campaigning for the presidency.
and presidential candidates have a long history in the
The USSS does not provide information on any threats to
United States.
protectees or investigations related to threats made against

protectees; however, the USSS does provide information
The USSS was transferred to the Department of Homeland
concerning 2024 candidate security generally.
Security (DHS) in 2003. The Secretary of Homeland
Security now has the responsibility of determining which
Targeted presidential candidates include Theodore
presidential candidates are protected, following the
Roosevelt, Robert F. Kennedy, George C. Wallace, and
recommendations of the advisory committee. The
Edward Kennedy. Four Presidents have been assassinated:
committee includes the Speaker and minority leader of the
•
House, the Senate majority and minority leaders, and one
Abraham Lincoln;
additional member selected by the committee. There are
• James A. Garfield;
two categories of candidates who receive USSS protection:
• William McKinley; and
(1) candidate protectees, who receive protection prior to
•
receiving their political party’s nomination; and (2)
John F. Kennedy (with USSS protection).
nominee protectees, who receive protection following their

party’s nomination. The USSS is statutorily required to
The USSS was officially assigned to protect Presidents in
protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates
1906. Assassination attempts (identified by the USSS and
within 120 days of the general presidential elections, as
media reports) on Presidents with USSS protection include
well as their spouses (18 U.S.C. §3056(a)). This In Focus
• Harry S. Truman;
discusses protection of presidential candidates—both before
and after the party nominating conventions—and provides
• Richard Nixon;
an overview of funding for security operations at the
• Gerald R. Ford;
nominating conventions.
• Ronald Reagan;
It should be noted that political campaigns do not receive
• William J. Clinton;
appropriated funds or other federal funds for security or for
•
other services. Campaigns might, however, benefit from
George W. Bush;
services that federal agencies provide, such as USSS
• Barack Obama;
protection or cybersecurity or physical security
•
consultations that agencies such as DHS and the Federal
Donald Trump; and
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provide. Publicly financed
• Joseph Biden.
presidential campaigns—a decreasing phenomenon since at
Presidential candidate security generally includes the detail
least the 2012 election cycle—could use payments from the
of USSS special agents to protect the candidate and the
Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF) to pay for
locations to which the candidate travels. Protection involves
security or for any other permissible campaign purpose.
related security plans and analysis of possible and actual
threats. According to the USSS, protection of candidates
Through the PECF, taxpayers may designate $3 (or $6 for
occurs 24 hours a day until the protection is deemed no
married couples filing jointly) from their individual income
longer necessary, the candidate ends his or her campaign or
tax returns to support presidential campaigns that choose to
does not become the nominee, or the nominee does not
accept public funds in exchange for observing spending
become the President-elect. Table 1 lists the candidates and
limits, among other requirements. Because taxpayers
nominees who received USSS protection between 2000 and
choose or decline to make PECF designations, these
2020.
amounts are not considered to be appropriated funds.
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link to page 2 Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security
Table 1. Candidate and Nominee Protection
Table 2. Nominating Convention Security Funding
2000-2024
2004-2024
Election Year
Nominees
Candidates
Democratic
Party
Republican Party
2000
George W. Bush
Bill Bradley
Election Year
Convention
Convention
Al Gore
2004
Boston
New York City
2004
John Kerry
John Edwards
$50 million
$50 million
2008
Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
2008
Denver
Minneapolis-St. Paul
John McCain
$50 million
$50 million
2012
Mitt Romney
Herman Cain
2012
Charlotte
Tampa
Rick Santorum
$50 million
$50 million
Newt Gingrich
2016
Philadelphia
Cleveland
$50 million
$50 million
2016
Donald Trump
Benjamin Carson
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders
2020
Milwaukee
Charlotte
$50 million
$50 million
2020
Joseph Biden
NA
2024
Chicago
Milwaukee
2024
NA
NA
$75 million
$75 million
Source: USSS correspondence with CRS on May 7, 2020.
Sources: P.L. 108-287; P.L. 108-199; P.L. 110-161; 125 Stat. 615; 129
Note: Incumbent and former Presidents and incumbent Vice
Stat. 2306-2307; P.L. 116-93; and P.L. 118-42.
Presidents receive USSS protection and are not listed in the table.
The USSS is primarily responsible for planning,
Nominating Convention Security
coordinating, and implementing security operations at
Every four years, the two major political parties (and some
conventions. Congress authorized the USSS—when
third parties) typically select their presidential nominees at
directed by the President—to be the lead federal agency for
conventions. These conventions are run by and for the
convention security in P.L. 106-544 (the Presidential Threat
parties, without a formal role for the federal government
Protection Act of 2000). The conventions are generally
other than security. Through the 2012 conventions,
designated as National Special Security Events (NSSEs),
voluntary taxpayer designations provided certain financial
which are the purview of the USSS. Other NSSEs include
support to convention committees that chose to accept
such events as presidential inaugurations, major
public money through the PECF. The convention-funding
international summits held in the United States, and some
portion of the presidential public financing program was
major sporting events.
repealed in 2014 via P.L. 113-94. Separately from the
PECF, Congress has appropriated funding for security costs
Security costs incurred by the federal government
incurred by state and local governments hosting the
associated with the conventions are not being paid out of
conventions through the Department of Justice’s Office of
the $150 million appropriated in FY2024. These other
Justice Programs (OJP). This OJP funding, specifically
federal security costs are covered by the FY2024 DHS
through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance
appropriations, which includes the USSS protection of the
Grant program, has been available for all major party
major presidential candidates whether at the convention or
conventions since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
at other campaign locations. The USSS is also the Lead
(see Table 2).
Federal Agency for security at nominating conventions,
coordinating other federal agencies, such as Federal
The $150 million Congress appropriated for the 2024
Protective Service law enforcement officers, in securing the
presidential nominating conventions is primarily to
convention sites. Federal law enforcement and security
reimburse states and localities for law enforcement costs
agencies, under USSS operational control, also oversee
associated with securing the convention sites. In 2004,
physical security at the convention venue through the
2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020, the main security costs that
positioning of fencing and barricades, as well as the pre-
state and local law enforcement entities incurred involved
positioning of federal law enforcement K-9 units and other
overtime payments to law enforcement personnel. State and
teams, such as DHS’s Domestic Emergency Support Teams
local law enforcement personnel participate in securing the
and Urban Search and Rescue Teams.
venue on the date of the convention and also in advance
planning, training, and establishing and maintaining
R. Sam Garrett contributed campaign finance information
communications and situational awareness.
to this In Focus. For additional discussion of campaign
finance issues, see CRS Report R41542, The State of
Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and
Issues for Congress, by R. Sam Garrett.
Shawn Reese, Analyst in Emergency Management and
Homeland Security Policy
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Presidential Candidate and Nominating Convention Security

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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.
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