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TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Sec. 3056

3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

(a) Under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, 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).

(3) Former Presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes, except that protection of a spouse shall terminate in the event of remarriage

(4) Children of a former President who are under 16 years of age.

(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, 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 the Treasury 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 the Treasury, 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, 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 credit and debit card frauds, and false identification documents or devices; except that the authority conferred by this paragraph shall be exercised subject to the agreement of the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury 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 the Treasury, officers and agents of the Secret Service are authorized to-

(A) execute warrants issued under the laws of the United States

(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 the Treasury 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.

(As amended Nov. 14, 1983, Pub. L. 98-151, Sec. 115(b), 97 Stat. 977, Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L 98-587, § l(a), 98 Stat. 3110.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

Section 216 of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), 7 was repealed by Pub. L. 98-473. title II, Sec. 1107(b), Oct. 12,1984,98 Stat. 2146.

AMENDMENTS

1984--Pub. L. 98-587 amended section generally, pro viding authority for the Secret Service to conduct criminal investigations of, make arrests in, and present for prosecutorial consideration, cases relating to electronic fund transfer frauds, and providing the Secret Service with authority to conduct investigations and make arrests relating to credit and debit card frauds, and false identification documents and devices, to be exercised subject to the agreement of the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury.

1983--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98-151 added reference to section 510 of this section in fifth clause.