Title 18 USC, Section 3056

US CODE: Title 18,3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

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TITLE 18 > PART II > CHAPTER 203 > § 3056

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§ 3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States
Secret Service
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US CODE: Title 18,3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

(a) Under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
United States Secret Service is authorized to protect the following
persons:
(1) The President, the Vice President (or other officer next in
the order of succession to the Office of President), the
President-elect, and the Vice President-elect.
(2) The immediate families of those individuals listed in
paragraph (1).

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(3) Former Presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes,
except that protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event
of remarriage unless the former President did not serve as
President prior to January 1, 1997, in which case, former
Presidents and their spouses for a period of not more than ten
years from the date a former President leaves office, except that
—
(A) protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of
remarriage or the divorce from, or death of a former
President; and
(B) should the death of a President occur while in office or
within one year after leaving office, the spouse shall
receive protection for one year from the time of such
death:
Provided, That the Secretary of Homeland Security shall
have the authority to direct the Secret Service to provide
temporary protection for any of these individuals at any
time if the Secretary of Homeland Security or designee
determines that information or conditions warrant such
protection.
(4) Children of a former President who are under 16 years of
age for a period not to exceed ten years or upon the child
becoming 16 years of age, whichever comes first.
(5) Visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments.
(6) 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.
(7) Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and,
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US CODE: Title 18,3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

within 120 days of the general Presidential election, the
spouses of such candidates. As used in this paragraph, the term
“major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates” means
those individuals identified as such by the Secretary of
Homeland Security 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 protection authorized in paragraphs (2) through (7) may be
declined.
(b) Under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Secret Service is authorized to detect and arrest any person who
violates—
(1) section 508, 509, 510, 871, or 879 of this title or, with
respect to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal
land banks, and Federal land bank associations, section 213,
216,[1] 433, 493, 657, 709, 1006, 1007, 1011, 1013, 1014,
1907, or 1909 of this title;
(2) any of the laws of the United States relating to coins,
obligations, and securities of the United States and of foreign
governments; or
(3) any of the laws of the United States relating to electronic
fund transfer frauds, access device frauds, false identification
documents or devices, and any fraud or other criminal or
unlawful activity in or against any federally insured financial
institution; except that the authority conferred by this
paragraph shall be exercised subject to the agreement of the
Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security and
shall not affect the authority of any other Federal law
enforcement agency with respect to those laws.
(c)
(1) Under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security,
officers and agents of the Secret Service are authorized to—
(A) execute warrants issued under the laws of the United
States;
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US CODE: Title 18,3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

(B) carry firearms;
(C) make arrests without warrant for any offense against
the United States committed in their presence, or for any
felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if
they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to
be arrested has committed or is committing such felony;
(D) offer and pay rewards for services and information
leading to the apprehension of persons involved in the
violation or potential violation of those provisions of law
which the Secret Service is authorized to enforce;
(E) pay expenses for unforeseen emergencies of a
confidential nature under the direction of the Secretary of
Homeland Security and accounted for solely on the
Secretary’s certificate; and
(F) perform such other functions and duties as are
authorized by law.
(2) Funds expended from appropriations available to the Secret
Service for the purchase of counterfeits and subsequently
recovered shall be reimbursed to the appropriations available to
the Secret Service at the time of the reimbursement.
(d) Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs, resists, or interferes
with a Federal law enforcement agent engaged in the performance
of the protective functions authorized by this section or by section
1752 of this title shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned
not more than one year, or both.
(e)
(1) When directed by the President, the United States Secret
Service is authorized to participate, under the direction of the
Secretary of Homeland Security, in the planning, coordination,
and implementation of security operations at special events of
national significance, as determined by the President.
(2) At the end of each fiscal year, the President through such
agency or office as the President may designate, shall report to
the Congress—
(A) what events, if any, were designated special events of
national significance for security purposes under paragraph
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US CODE: Title 18,3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

(1); and
(B) the criteria and information used in making each
designation.

(f) Under the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security,
officers and agents of the Secret Service are authorized, at the
request of any State or local law enforcement agency, or at the
request of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,
to provide forensic and investigative assistance in support of any
investigation involving missing or exploited children.

[1] See References in Text note below.

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