National Special Security Event

File:Super Bowl XLIV security news conference 2010-02-01 1.jpg

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (center) at a security news conference for Super Bowl XLIV, on February 1, 2010

A National Special Security Event (NSSE) is an event of national or international significance deemed by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be a potential target for terrorism or other criminal activity. These events have included summits of world leaders, meetings of international organizations, presidential nominating conventions and presidential inaugurations. NSSE designation requires federal agencies to provide full cooperation and support to ensure the safety and security of those participating in or otherwise attending the event, and the community within which the event takes place, and is typically limited to specific event sites for a specified time frame.

An NSSE places the United States Secret Service as the lead agency in charge of the planning, coordination, and implementation of security operations for the event, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in charge of intelligence, counterterrorism, and investigation of major criminal activities associated with the event, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of recovery management in the aftermath of terrorism, major criminal activities, natural disasters, or other catastrophic incidents following the event. Like the FBI and FEMA, the Secret Service brings in local law enforcement, public safety, and military experts to assist with developing the plan, and give them the special guidance and training to operate within the security plan.<ref name="fact2006"/> NSSE designation is not a funding mechanism, and currently there is no specific federal "pot of money" to be distributed to state and local governments within whose jurisdiction NSSEs take place.

Authority

NSSE procedures were established by President Bill Clinton in a portion of Presidential Decision Directive 62 in May 1998, which set out the security roles for federal agencies at major events.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000 (Template:USPL, signed into law on 2000-12-19) added special events explicitly to the powers of the United States Secret Service in Template:USC.

Procedure

A number of factors are taken into consideration when designating an event as a National Special Security Event. Department of Homeland Security press releases usually cite the following factors:<ref name="fact2006">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}{</ref>

• Anticipated attendance by dignitaries. Events attended by officials of the United States government or foreign dignitaries may create an independent federal interest to ensure that the event transpires without incident and that sufficient resources are brought to bear in the event of an incident.
• Size of the event. A large number of attendees and participants generally increases security requirements. In addition, larger events are more likely to draw the attention of terrorists or other criminals, particularly those interested in employing weapons of mass destruction.
• Significance of the event. Some events have historical, political, cultural, or other symbolic significance that may heighten concern about possible terrorist acts or other criminal activity.
• Duration of the event. State and local law enforcement and public safety agencies may possess the manpower and other resources to provide adequate security for a major event within their jurisdiction (e.g. World Series, NASCAR race, Super Bowl, televised awards show), but unable to do so for events over several days or weeks and at the same time continue to meet routine obligations in the greater community.
• Availability of state and local resources. When state and local jurisdictions lack the expertise, experience, manpower or other assets needed to ensure comprehensive protection of these major events of national or international significance.
• Multiplicity of Jurisdictions. Extensive coordination of law enforcement and public safety agencies from multiple jurisdictions.
• Threat assessments. Anticipation of terrorism, or extensive illegal civil disobedience or other criminal activity.

Typical NSSE security measures include:

• Interagency coordination and interoperability
• Heavy police (days off and leaves may be canceled) and often National Guard presence<ref name=Security>Template:Cite video</ref>
• Police dogs for bomb detection<ref name="fact2006"/>
• Surveillance
• WMD detection, mitigation, and decontamination
• Sharpshooters and other tactical capabilities
• Flight restrictions around the area<ref name=Security/>
• United States Coast Guard patrols<ref name=Security/>
• Increased railroad security<ref name=Security/>
• Extensive road closures<ref name="fact2006"/><ref name=Security/>
• When applicable members of Joint Task Force - Civil Support and the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) are deployed

The Secret Service notes that since the "Presidential Protection Act of 2000 became public law...the Secret Service is authorized to participate in the planning, coordination and implementation of security operations at special events of national significance....[and that] when an event is designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security as a National Special Security Event (NSSE), the Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan...The goal of the cooperating agencies is to provide a safe and secure environment for Secret Service protectees, other dignitaries, the event participants and the general public. There is a tremendous amount of advance planning and coordination in preparation for these events."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Events

Template:USC paragraph (e)(2) requires that, at the end of each federal fiscal year, the executive branch report to Congress which events were designated NSSEs, and what criteria were used to make the designations.

Typical types of NSSEs are state funerals, major political conventions, and the State of the Union addresses.<ref name="fact2008">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The table below lists some NSSEs since enactment of the relevant statute.

Date	Event	Location	State(s) or district	Notes
Template:Start and end dates	World Energy Council Meeting World Energy Council Meeting<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	Texas
Template:Start and end dates	NATO 50th Anniversary Celebration NATO 50th Anniversary Celebration<ref name="fact2008"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	World Trade Organization Meeting World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1999<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	Washington
Template:Dts	State of the Union Address 2000 2000 State of the Union Address<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	International Monetary Fund 2000 Spring Meeting International Monetary Fund Spring Meeting<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	Operation Sail 2000 Operation Sail Summer Millennium Celebration<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	Republican National Convention 2000 2000 Republican National Convention<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	Pennsylvania
Template:Start and end dates	Democratic National Convention 2000 2000 Democratic National Convention<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	California
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2001 First inauguration of George W. Bush<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	Presidential Address to Congress 2001 2001 Presidential Address to Congress<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 56th session United Nations General Assembly 56th session<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	State of the Union Address 2002 2002 State of the Union Address<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	World Economic Forum USA Meeting 2002 World Economic Forum USA MeetingTemplate:Citation needed	Template:Small<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	New York
Template:Dts	Super Bowl 36 Super Bowl XXXVI<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="may_29_2002">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	Louisiana
Template:Start and end dates	Winter Olympics 2002 2002 Winter Olympics<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="may_29_2002" />	Template:Small	Utah
Template:Dts	State of the Union Address 2003 2003 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	State of the Union Address 2004 2004 State of the Union Address<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	G8 Summit 30 30th G8 summit<ref name="fact2008"/>	Template:Small	Georgia
Template:Start and end dates	State funeral of Reagan, Ronald State funeral of Ronald Reagan<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC; California
Template:Start and end dates	Democratic National Convention 2004 2004 Democratic National Convention<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	Massachusetts
Template:Start and end dates	Republican National Convention 2004 2004 Republican National Convention<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2005 Second inauguration of George W. Bush<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2005 2005 State of the Union Address<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2006 2006 State of the Union Address<ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	State funeral of Ford, Gerald State funeral of Gerald Ford<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC; Michigan
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2007 2007 State of the Union Address<ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2008 2008 State of the Union Address<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/><ref name="usss 2008 p25">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	Democratic National Convention 2008 2008 Democratic National Convention<ref name="usss 2008 p25" />	Template:Small	Colorado	26th NSSE<ref name="usss 2008 p25" />
Template:Start and end dates	Republican National Convention 2008 2008 Republican National Convention<ref name="usss 2008 p25" />	Template:Small	Minnesota	27th NSSE<ref name="usss 2008 p25" />
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 63rd Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	G20 Summit 2008 2008 G20 Washington summit<ref name="usss 2009 p22">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2009 Pre-Inaugural Whistle Stop Tour<ref name="usss 2009 p6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	Pennsylvania; Delaware; Maryland; DC	Part of inaugural ceremonies
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2009 We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial<ref name="usss 2009 p6" />	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2009 First inauguration of Barack Obama<ref name="fact2008"/><ref name="sotu2008"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	Presidential Address to Congress 2009 2009 Presidential Address to Congress<ref name="usss 2009 p22" />	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 64th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	G20 Summit 2009 2009 G20 Pittsburgh summit<ref name="usss 2009 p22" />	Template:Small	Pennsylvania
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2010 2010 State of the Union Address<ref name="usss 2010 p20">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	Nuclear Security Summit 2010 2010 Nuclear Security Summit<ref name="usss 2010 p21">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 65th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2011 2011 State of the Union Address<ref name="usss 2011 p21">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 66th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 20112011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	Hawaii
Template:Dts	State of the Union 2012 2012 State of the Union Address<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	G8 Summit 38 38th G8 summit<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	Maryland
Template:Start and end dates	NATO Summit 20122012 NATO Chicago Summit<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	Illinois
Template:Start and end dates	Republican National Convention 2012 2012 Republican National Convention<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	Florida
Template:Start and end dates	Democratic National Convention 2012 2012 Democratic National Convention<ref name="usss 2011 p21"/>	Template:Small	North Carolina
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 67th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	Presidential Inauguration 2013 Second inauguration of Barack Obama<ref name="usss 2011 p25">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	2013 State of the Union Address 2013 State of the Union Address<ref name="usss 2013 p14">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 68th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2014 State of the Union Address 2014 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 69th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2015 State of the Union Address 2015 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	Pope Francis' 2015 US visit Pope Francis's 2015 visit to the United States<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC; New York; Pennsylvania
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 70th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2016 State of the Union Address<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	2016 Republican National Convention2016 Republican National Convention	Template:Small	Ohio
Template:Start and end dates	2016 Democratic National Convention2016 Democratic National Convention	Template:Small	Pennsylvania
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 71st Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	First inauguration of Donald Trump	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	2017 Presidential Address to Congress	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 72nd Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2018 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 73rd Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	State funeral of George H. W. Bush	Template:Small	DC; Texas
Template:Dts	2019 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 74th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2020 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	2020 Democratic National Convention<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	Wisconsin
Template:Start and end dates	2020 Republican National Convention	Template:Small	DC; North Carolina
Template:Dts	Inauguration of Joe Biden	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	2021 Presidential Address to Congress<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 76th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 77th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Dts	2022 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Dts	2023 State of the Union Address	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 78th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	APEC United States 2023	Template:Small	California
Template:Start and end dates	2024 NATO Washington Summit	Template:Small	DC
Template:Start and end dates<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	2024 Republican National Convention<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	Wisconsin
Template:Start and end dates<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	2024 Democratic National Convention<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Small	Illinois
Template:Start and end dates	United Nations General Assembly 79th Session	Template:Small	New York
Template:Start and end dates	State funeral of Jimmy Carter<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC; Georgia
January 6, 2025	2025 Electoral College vote count<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small	DC
January 20, 2025	Second inauguration of Donald Trump	Template:Small	DC
February 9, 2025	Super Bowl LIX	Template:Small	Louisiana
Template:Start and end dates	2028 Summer Olympic Games	Template:Small	California

External links

• United States Secret Service: National Special Security Event - Wayback Machine (Archive)
• DHS Fact Sheet: National Special Security Events - Wayback Machine (Archive) in January 2007
  • DHS Fact Sheet: National Special Security Events - Wayback Machine (Archive) in March 2012
• CRS report on NSSEs
• Center for Domestic Preparedness - NSSE NLE Support - FEMA
• National Special Security Events: Fact Sheet - CRS
• Anatomy of a National Special Security Event
• Section 7.0. NSSE Overview Fact Sheet - Department of Transportation