At noon on January 20 of each year following a presidential election, the President-elect is sworn in as President of the United States. In 2017, the President- and Vice President-elect will be officially sworn on Friday, January 20. Presidential inaugurations are public events that are conducted primarily at the U.S. Capitol and on the grounds of the National Mall. Additionally, presidential inaugurations are ceremonies that are attended by a significant portion of the American political leadership. Due to safety and security concerns for the public and the American political leadership, the inauguration ceremony is designated a National Security Special Event (NSSE). NSSEs are high profile, and usually public, events that require significant security because of the attendance of U.S. and foreign dignitaries and the event's public or official nature. The United States Secret Service (USSS) is designated as the primary federal entity responsible for NSSE security. The USSS, however, is not the only law enforcement or first responder agency that has inauguration security responsibilities. The United States Capitol Police (USCP), the Metropolitan DC Police Department (MPD), the U.S. Park Police (USPP), and other law enforcement and first responder entities often assist the USSS and provide security for the swearing-in ceremony and other inaugural events. Congress appropriates funds for inauguration security. This funding is not always specifically identified for presidential inauguration security. Instead, inauguration security funding is expected to be provided from the USSS general NSSE account. In limited circumstances, Congress has provided supplemental appropriations to "reimburse" local jurisdictions for inauguration related activities. Not only does Congress provide funding for security operations, it also typically conducts oversight hearings following inaugurations to review these operations for future improvements. Criticism of past inauguration security operations and practices has generated congressional concern. For example, during the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama, some ticket holders were unable to reach their designated seating areas, while others were stuck in a tunnel leading to the National Mall. In a statement following the ceremony, Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, asked for a review of inauguration security operations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (IG) completed a review for Congress and released its findings in October 2009. The IG's review focused on "the adequacy of security ... and how well the Secret Service managed its after-action review." The report recommended that the USSS address areas identified for improvement and inform the IG's office when changes are implemented. Areas identified for improvement in the USSS after-action review, and reported on by the IG, included improving security planning, using new communications technology, and conducting additional after-action reports in an effort to improve logistics for off-site staging for future events. Due to what was reported to be successful security operations, the DHS IG was not asked to review the 2013 inauguration. This report provides information on inauguration security operations and inauguration security appropriations, and discusses potential policy issues associated with inauguration security operations. It also identifies some policy issues associated with inauguration security operations, including some past inauguration security operations criticisms and inauguration security operation appropriations. Options are provided for congressional consideration for future inauguration and inauguration security planning. Congressional interest in inauguration security may be based on various factors and determinates including its roles in appropriating funds for inaugurations, oversight of law enforcement and first responder entities with inauguration security responsibilities, and hosting the swearing-in ceremony, and the heightened interest in post-9/11 security operations. Congress may wish to consider past criticisms of both inauguration security operations and appropriations. Presidential inauguration ceremonies are unique public events in the District of Columbia (DC). Due to the momentous nature of the ceremonies, it is one of the few times that the American government's leadership is all present at the same time in the same location. Consequently, the inauguration is designated as an NSSE by DHS. The USSS is the lead federal agency responsible for securing the public inaugural events. Inaugural events, pursuant to public law, 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 include the inaugural luncheon, the inaugural parade, and the inaugural balls. Two major inaugural events are held at the U.S. Capitol and hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC): the swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural luncheon. Following the swearing-in ceremony and luncheon, there is an inaugural parade and numerous inaugural balls. All of these events require special security operations. Inaugurations are designated as National Special Security Events (NSSEs) due to their importance, the portion of national leadership in attendance, and the public nature of the ceremony. NSSE designation factors include anticipated attendance by U.S. officials and foreign dignitaries; the size of the event; and the significance of the event. Recent NSSEs include the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama, and the 2016 presidential nominating conventions. The 2017 inauguration has been designated as an NSSE. NSSEs were created on May 22, 1998, when President William J. Clinton issued Presidential Decision Directive (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, and enhanced emergency response and cybersecurity. PDD 62 also designated specific federal departments and agencies as the lead agencies in the event of terrorist attacks. 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. Other lead agencies for counter terrorism activities included the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On December 19, 2000, Congress enacted P.L. 106-544 , the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000, which authorized USSS—when directed by the President—to plan, coordinate, and implement security operations at special events of national significance. Some NSSEs, other than inauguration ceremonies, include major international summits held in the United States, major sporting events, and presidential nominating conventions. Prior to the establishment of DHS in January 2003, the President determined which 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. 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." 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. Additionally, MED coordinates and 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 its 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." 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 unique characteristics of each event, coordination with other federal entities, state and local jurisdictions, available local resources, and mutual aid agreements. 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. Inauguration security includes ticketed security check points for those attending the ceremonies and who have assigned seats in close proximity to the swearing-in location. The security border for the inauguration is expanded to the general vicinity of downtown Washington, DC, and the National Mall. For 2013 inauguration planning purposes, the USSS Office of Protective Operations/Dignitary Protective Division and the USSS Washington Field Office convened an initial planning meeting with federal, state, and local law enforcement entities. It can be presumed the same entities convened for the 2017 inauguration planning.