National Special Security Events

National Special Security Events
Shawn Reese
Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Government and Finance Division
Summary
Major events that are considered to be nationally significant may be designated by
the President — or his representative, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) — as National Special Security Events (NSSE). Beginning in
September 1998 through February 2008, there have been 28 events designated as
NSSEs. Some of these events have included presidential inaugurations, presidential
nominating conventions, major sports events, and major international meetings. The
U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating,
planning, exercising, and implementing security for NSSEs, and was designated as the
lead agency in P.L. 106-544. This report provides information on USSS legislative
authority for NSSEs, NSSE designation funding and training, and NSSE funding. This
report will be updated when congressional or executive branch actions warrant.
Legislative Authority. On May 22, 1998, President William J. Clinton issued
Presidential Decision Directive 62 (PDD 62) — Protection Against Unconventional
Threats to the Homeland and Americans Overseas. PDD 62 established a framework for
federal department and agency counter-terrorism programs, which addressed terrorist
apprehension and prosecution, increased transportation security, enhanced emergency
response, and enhanced cyber security. PDD 62 also designated specific federal
departments and agencies as the lead agencies in the event of terrorist attacks.¹ The U.S.
Secret Service (USSS) was designated as the lead agency with the leadership role in the
planning, implementation, and coordination of operational security for events of national
significance — as designated by the President.² Other lead agencies for counter terrorism

¹ Presidential Decision Directive 62 is classified. The White House issued a fact sheet abstract
about it, and the Federation of American Scientists has posted an “unclassified abstract” said to
be “derived from” PDD 62, available at [http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/pdd-62.htm], visited
October 25, 2007.
² U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of Legislative Affairs,
“National Special Security Events: Meeting the Counter-Terrorism Challenge” (Washington:
2006), p. 1. This document is only available by contacting the U.S. Secret Service’s Office of
Legislative Affairs.

activities included the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of
Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
On December 19, 2000, Congress enacted P.L. 106-544, the Presidential Threat
Protection Act of 2000, and authorized USSS — when directed by the President — to
plan, coordinate, and implement security operations at special events of national
significance.³ The special events were entitled National Special Security Events (NSSEs).
Some events categorized as NSSE include presidential inaugurations, major international
summits held in the United States, major sporting events, and presidential nominating
conventions.
NSSE Designation. Prior to the establishment of DHS in January 2003, the
President determined what events of national significance were designated as NSSEs.
Since the establishment of the department, the DHS Secretary — as the President’s
representative — has had the responsibility to designate NSSEs. NSSE designation
factors include:
^!anticipated attendance by U.S. officials and foreign dignitaries;⁴⁵
^!size of the event; and
^!significance of the event.⁶
NSSE Security. When an event is designated an NSSE, USSS becomes the lead
federal agency in developing, exercising, and implementing security operations. The goal
of these security operations is to “develop and implement a seamless security plan that
will create a safe and secure environment for the general public, event participants, Secret
Service protectees, and other dignitaries.”⁷
The USSS’s Major Events Division (MED) is responsible for NSSE planning and
coordinates with other USSS headquarters and field offices. Some of the coordination
includes advance planning and liaison for venue and air space security, training,
communications, and security credentialing.⁸ Additionally, MED coordinates and

³ P.L. 106-544, Sec. 3. 114 Stat. 2716.
⁴ Events attended by U.S. Government officials and foreign dignitaries may require federal
interest in ensuring that the event is executed without incident and that sufficient resources are
available in case of an incident.
⁵ A large number of attendees and participants increases security requirements. Additionally,
larger events could possibly increase terrorist intentions of attempting to attack the event.
⁶ Some events have historical, political, and symbolic significance that may heighten the
possibility of terrorist attacks. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Press
Secretary, “National Special Security Events Fact Sheet,” July 9, 2003, available at
[http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releas es/press_release_0207.shtm] .
⁷ U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of Legislative Affairs,
“National Special Security Events: Meeting the Counter-Terrorism Challenge” (Washington:
2006), p. 1. This document is only available by contacting the U.S. Secret Service’s Office of
Legislative Affairs.
⁸ Ibid., p. 2.

conducts liaisons with other federal, state, and local agencies — primarily law
enforcement entities.
NSSE security is planned, exercised, and implemented through a unified command
model that is comprised of representatives of participating federal, state, and local
agencies with NSSE responsibilities. During the NSSE’s planning phase, each
participating agency is tasked according to their expertise or jurisdictional responsibility.
USSS states that, “with the support of hundreds of federal, state, and local law
enforcement and public safety organizations, each of these events has successfully
concluded without any major incidents.”⁹
NSSE operational plans include the use of physical infrastructure security fencing,
barricades, special access accreditation badges, K-9 teams, and other security
technologies. To ensure consequence management, DHS prepositions Domestic
Emergency Support Teams, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, national Emergency
Response Teams, Nuclear Incident Response Teams, and the Strategic National Stockpile
and Mobile Emergency Response System. Specific teams and groupings of teams are
designed for each event based on coordination with other federal entities, state and local
jurisdictions, available local resources, and mutual aid agreements.¹⁰ Additionally, USSS
sponsors training seminars for command-level federal, state, and local law enforcement
and public safety officials to provide principles for managing security at major events and
strategies for reducing vulnerabilities related to terrorism. The seminars also discuss key
strategies and lessons learned from past NSSEs.¹¹
The following table (Table 1) lists the NSSEs that have occurred, their location, and
date:
Table 1. National Special Security Events Since 1998
Event Location Date
^Worl^{d En}^erg^y^C^o^uⁿ^cⁱ^l^Meetⁱⁿ^g^H^ou^s^t^on^{, T}^X^S^e^{p. 13-}^{17, 1998}
^NA^T^O⁵⁰^th^Aⁿⁿⁱ^v^e^rs^ary^C^e^l^e^bratⁱ^oⁿ^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^A^p^{r. 23-}^{25, 1999}
^W^o^{rld T}^r^{ade Org}^aⁿⁱ^zation^Meetin^g^S^{eattle, W}^A^Nov^.^29-^{Dec. 3, 1999}
^S^t^at^{e of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^oⁿ^A^ddres^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Jan^.^{27, 2000}
^In^t^e^rn^atⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^Mon^e^t^a^ry^F^uⁿ^d^S^p^riⁿ^g^Meetⁱⁿ^g^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^A^p^{r. 14-}^{17, 2000}
^In^t^e^rn^atⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^N^a^v^a^l^R^e^vⁱ^ew^(O^pS^ai^l⁾^N^e^w^Y^o^rk^{, N}^Y^Ju^l^.^3-^{9, 2000}
^R^e^pu^blⁱ^can^N^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^oⁿ^v^eⁿ^tⁱ^oⁿ^P^hⁱ^l^a^del^p^hⁱ^{a, PA}^Ju^l^.^29-^A^u^g^.^{4, 2000}
^D^e^m^o^cratⁱ^c^N^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^oⁿ^v^eⁿ^tⁱ^oⁿ^L^os^Aⁿ^g^e^l^e^s^,^C^A^A^u^g^.^14-^{16, 2000}
^P^r^e^sⁱ^d^eⁿ^tⁱ^a^l^Iⁿ^a^ugur^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^W^a^s^hi^ngt^oⁿ^,^D^C^J^a^n.²⁰^,²⁰⁰¹

⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Press Secretary, “National Special
Security Events Fact Sheet,” July 9, 2003, available at
[http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releas es/press_release_0207.shtm] .
¹¹ Ibid.

Event Location Date
^Presⁱ^d^en^tⁱ^a^l^A^ddres^s^t^o^C^oⁿ^g^r^es^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^F^e^{b. 27, 2001}
^Uⁿⁱ^t^e^{d N}^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^s^G^eⁿ^e^ral^A^s^s^e^m^b^l^y⁵⁶^N^e^w^Y^o^rk^{, N}^Y^N^o^v^.^10-^{16, 2001}
^S^t^at^{e of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^oⁿ^A^ddres^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Jan^.^{29, 2002}
^S^u^{per Bow}^l^XXXVI^New^Orlean^s^,^L^A^F^e^{b. 3, 2002}
^Wiⁿ^t^{er O}^l^y^m^pi^{c G}^a^m^e^s^S^al^t^L^a^k^e^Cⁱ^t^y^{, U}^T^F^e^{b. 8-}^{24, 2002}
^S^u^{per Bow}^l^XXXVII^S^an^Dieg^{o, C}^A^J^aⁿ^.^{26, 2003}
^S^t^at^{e of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^oⁿ^A^ddres^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Jan^.^{20, 2004}
^S^u^{per Bow}^l^XXXVIII^Hou^s^ton^,^T^X^F^e^{b. 1, 2004}
^S^{ea Is}^l^aⁿ^d^G⁸^S^u^m^mⁱ^t^S^{ea Is}^l^aⁿ^d^{, G}^A^Juⁿ^.^8-^{10, 2004}
^Presⁱ^d^en^t^R^eag^an^S^t^at^{e F}^uⁿ^e^ral^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Juⁿ^.^{11, 2004}
^D^e^m^o^cratⁱ^c^N^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^oⁿ^v^eⁿ^tⁱ^oⁿ^B^os^t^oⁿ^,^MA^Ju^l^.^26-^{29, 2004}
^R^e^pu^blⁱ^can^N^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^oⁿ^v^eⁿ^tⁱ^oⁿ^N^ew^Y^o^rk^{, N}^Y^A^u^g^.^30-^S^e^{p. 2, 2004}
^P^r^e^sⁱ^d^eⁿ^tⁱ^a^l^Iⁿ^a^ugur^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^W^a^s^hi^ngt^oⁿ^,^D^C^J^a^n.²⁰^,²⁰⁰⁵
^S^t^at^{e of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^oⁿ^A^ddres^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^F^e^{b. 2, 2005}
^Su^{per B}^o^w^l^XXXIX^J^ack^s^oⁿ^v^{ille, FL}^{Feb. 6, 2005}
^S^u^{per Bow}^l^X^L^D^e^t^r^oi^t^,^MI^F^e^{b. 5, 2006}
^Presⁱ^d^en^t^F^o^{rd S}^t^at^{e F}^uⁿ^e^ral^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Jan^.^{3, 2007}
^S^u^{per Bow}^l^X^L^I^Mⁱ^a^mⁱ^G^a^rden^s^,^F^L^F^e^{b. 4, 2007}
^S^t^at^{e of}^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^oⁿ^A^ddres^s^W^as^hⁱⁿ^g^t^on^{, D}^C^Jan^.^{28, 2008}
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of Legislative
Affairs
NSSE Funding. Even though NSSEs have been conducted since 1998, Congress
has only appropriated funding specifically for a general NSSE fund since FY2006.
Congress has, however, appropriated funding for four specific NSSEs. The first two were
the 2004 Democratic and Republican presidential nominating conventions in Boston, MA,
and New York City, NY, respectively. The final two will be the 2008 Democratic and
Republican nominating conventions in Denver, CO, and Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN,
respectively. The 108th Congress appropriated a total of $100 million for presidential
nominating convention security at these two events.¹² This $100 million was
administered through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Edward Byrne Memorial State
and Local Enforcement Assistance Programs (the Byrne programs). DOJ used the

¹² In P.L. 108-287 (An Act Making Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2005, and For Other Purposes), Sec. 11002, Congress appropriated
$25 million for Boston and $25 million for New York City presidential nominating convention
security, and in P.L. 108-199 (An Act Making Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the Fiscal Year Ending
September 30, 2004, and For Other Purposes), Sec. 103, Congress appropriated $50 million for
the 2004 presidential nominating conventions.

majority of this funding to reimburse state and local law enforcement entities for overtime
costs because USSS did not have a mechanism to reimburse state and local law
enforcement entities for NSSE security costs.¹³
Federal funding for National Special Security Events (NSSE) costs incurred by
federal, state, and local entities is one issue Congress may wish to address. In FY2008,
Congress appropriated $1 million for NSSE costs within the Secret Service.¹⁴ In addition,
the 110^th Congress appropriated a total of $100 million for the 2008 presidential
nominating conventions’ security. This $100 million is to be administered through
Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs, and this appropriation is to be
used for security and related costs incurred by state and local governments, including
overtime, associated with these two NSSEs.¹⁵
Some might argue that the $1 million Congress has appropriated for NSSEs in
FY2008 may not be adequate to fund unexpected NSSE expenditures, such as the funeral
of a former President. The amount appropriated could be additionally problematic
considering that the Secret Service is not authorized to reimburse state and local law
enforcement entities’ overtime costs associated with NSSEs. Any security costs incurred
by the Secret Service could be funded with appropriations specifically designated for the
agency, whereas federal reimbursement of any security costs incurred by state and local
jurisdictions would have to be appropriated through other federal assistance programs —
such as the $100 million appropriated for the 2008 presidential nominating conventions
through DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs. Congress might consider establishing a
program within Secret Service that not only provides the agency with additional funds for
unexpected NSSE security costs, but also authorizes the Secret Service to reimburse state
and local law enforcement entities for security costs.
Presently, state and local jurisdictions can use DHS grants, such as the State
Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) and the Urban Area Security Initiative
(UASI) for NSSE security activities. The grant approval process for these programs,
however, is not flexible, so the programs have limited application to NSSEs. States and
localities would need to plan SHSGP and UASI funding for NSSE security annually in
their grant applications. For unexpected NSSEs — which may be the result of an
unexpected death of a President or a change in location of a planned NSSE — states and
localities are unable to plan use SHSGP or UASI funds to in advance for security costs.
DHS does authorize states and localities to reprogram SHSGP and UASI funding with the
DHS Secretary’s approval; however, that may result in states and localities not funding
other planned homeland security activities.

¹³ U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of Legislative Affairs,
Anthony Lawrence, conversation with the author on August 9, 2007.
¹⁴ P.L. 110-161, Div. E.
¹⁵ P.L. 110-161, Div. B, Title II.