National Special Security Event


A National Special Security Event is an event of national or international significance deemed by the United States Department of Homeland Security 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. 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. The Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000 added special events explicitly to the powers of the United States Secret Service in.

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:
Typical NSSE security measures include:
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.... when an event is designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security as a National Special Security Event, 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."

Events

paragraph 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, the Academy and Grammy awards, major sporting events, and the State of the Union addresses. The table below lists some NSSEs since enactment of the relevant statute.
DateEventLocationNotes
13 September 1998
World Energy Council Meeting World Energy Council MeetingHouston, Texas
23 April 1999
NATO 50th Anniversary Celebration NATO 50th Anniversary CelebrationWashington, D.C.
29 November 1999
World Trade Organization Meeting World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1999Seattle, Washington
27 January 2000State of the Union Address 2000 2000 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
14 April 2000
International Monetary Fund 2000 Spring Meeting International Monetary Fund Spring MeetingWashington, D.C.
3 July 2000
Operation Sail 2000 Operation Sail Summer Millennium CelebrationNew York City
29 July 2000
Republican National Convention 2000 2000 Republican National ConventionPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
14 August 2000
Democratic National Convention 2000 2000 Democratic National ConventionLos Angeles, California
20 January 2001Presidential Inauguration 2001 2001 Presidential InaugurationWashington, D.C.
27 February 2001Presidential Address to Congress 2001 Presidential Address to CongressWashington, D.C.
10 November 2001
United Nations General Assembly 56th session United Nations General Assembly 56th sessionNew York City
29 January 2002State of the Union Address 2002 2002 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
3 February 2002Super Bowl 36 Super Bowl XXXVINew Orleans, Louisiana
8 February 2002
Winter Olympics 2002 2002 Winter OlympicsSalt Lake City, Utah
21 May 2002
World Economic Forum USA Meeting 2002 World Economic Forum USA Meeting Washington, D.C.
20 January 2003State of the Union Address 2003 2003 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
20 January 2004State of the Union Address 2004 2004 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
8 June 2004
G8 Summit 30 30th G8 summitSea Island, Georgia
9 June 2004
State funeral of Reagan, Ronald State funeral of Ronald ReaganWashington, D.C.
Simi Valley, California
26 July 2004
Democratic National Convention 2004 2004 Democratic National ConventionBoston, Massachusetts
30 August 2004
Republican National Convention 2004 2004 Republican National ConventionNew York City
20 January 2005Presidential Inauguration 2005 2005 Presidential InaugurationWashington, D.C.
2 February 2005State of the Union 2005 2005 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
31 January 2006State of the Union 2006 2006 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
30 Dec 2006
State funeral of Ford, Gerald State funeral of Gerald FordWashington, D.C.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
23 January 2007State of the Union 2007 2007 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
28 January 2008State of the Union 2008 2008 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
25 August 2008
Democratic National Convention 2008 2008 Democratic National ConventionDenver, Colorado26th NSSE
1 September 2008
Republican National Convention 2008 2008 Republican National ConventionSt. Paul, Minnesota27th NSSE
14 November 2008
G-20 Summit 2008 2008 G-20 Washington summitWashington, D.C.
17 January 2009Presidential Inauguration 2009 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to
Washington, D.C.		Part of inaugural ceremonies
18 January 2009Presidential Inauguration 2009 Washington, D.C.
20 January 2009Presidential Inauguration 2009 2009 Presidential InaugurationWashington, D.C.
24 February 2009Presidential Address to Congress 2009 2009 Presidential Address to CongressWashington, D.C.
24 September 2009
G-20 Summit 2009 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summitPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
27 January 2010State of the Union 2010 2010 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
12 April 2010
Nuclear Security Summit 2010 2010 Nuclear Security SummitWashington, D.C.
25 January 2011State of the Union 2011 2011 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
12 November 2011
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2011Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation SummitHonolulu, Hawaii
24 January 2012State of the Union 2012 2012 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
18 May 2012
G8 Summit 38 38th G8 summitCamp David, Maryland
20 May 2012
NATO Summit 2012NATO 2012 Chicago SummitChicago, Illinois
27 August 2012
Republican National Convention 2012 2012 Republican National ConventionTampa, Florida
3 September 2012

Democratic National Convention 2012 2012 Democratic National ConventionCharlotte, North Carolina
20 January 2013Presidential Inauguration 2013 2013 Presidential InaugurationWashington, D.C.
12 02 20132013 State of the Union Address 2013 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
12 January 2016

2016 State of the Union AddressWashington, D.C.
7 February 20162016 Super Bowl 502016 Republican National ConventionSanta Clara, CaliforniaSEAR 1


2016 Republican National Convention2016 Republican National ConventionCleveland, Ohio
25 July 2016

2016 Democratic National Convention2016 Democratic National ConventionPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
January 20, 20172017 Presidential InaugurationWashington, D.C.
4 February 20182018 Super Bowl LIIMinneapolis, MinnesotaSEAR 1
3 December 2018

State funeral of George H. W. BushWashington, D.C.
3 February 20192019 Super Bowl LIIIAtlanta, Georgia