WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the Counter Secretary Negligence In Protecting Election Runners (SNIPER) Act to require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to provide timely, impartial, and transparent determinations for a presidential candidate's eligibility for new or augmented United States Secret Service (USSS) protection.

Under current statute, the acting DHS Secretary, in consultation with a Congressional advisory committee, has sole discretion to authorize U.S. Secret Service protection to presidential candidates. This legislation comes at a pivotal time due to the attempted assassination of Former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, and the subsequent questions regarding resourcing of USSS assets to the Trump campaign.

"In today's highly divisive political climate, the DHS Secretary owes all presidential candidates fair, apolitical, timely, and transparent consideration of USSS protection," said Congressman Pfluger. "Our country was millimeters away from a presidential assassination. We must provide adequate security for all presidential candidates—no matter their party affiliation."

Background:

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declined three requests from Robert F. Kennedy for USSS protection, most recently in December 2023. Secretary Mayorkas provided no justification for denials and ignored requests for months. Kennedy faced numerous credible threats including the arrest of an armed man impersonating a U.S. Marshall at a campaign event. Historical exceptions for extending U.S. Secret Service protections beyond front runners include: Ben Carson, Bernie Sanders (2016); Herman Caine, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich (2012); Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson (1988).