2 U.S.C. § 1966 — Protection of Members of Congress, officers of Congress, and members of their families
submitted 80 years ago by Pub. L. 97-143 to r/title-2-THE-CONGRESS · 374 words · no verdicts yet
The Capitol Police may protect Members of Congress, congressional officers, and their immediate families anywhere in the United States when the Capitol Police Board finds protection necessary. The section permits case-by-case details, specified warrantless arrests, and penalties for interference.
(a) Subject to the Capitol Police Board’s direction, the United States Capitol Police may protect anywhere in the United States a Member of Congress, a congressional officer as defined in 2 U.S.C. § 4101(b), or an immediate family member of either, when the Board finds protection necessary. (b) Under Board regulations, the Board or its designee may assign Capitol Police members case by case to provide the protection the Board finds necessary. (c) While performing these protective duties, Capitol Police members may arrest without a warrant for a United States offense committed in their presence, or for a federal felony when they reasonably believe the person committed or is committing it. They may also use Capitol Police equipment and property. (d) A person who knowingly and willfully obstructs, resists, or interferes with an officer performing these protective functions may be fined up to $300, imprisoned up to one year, or both. (e) This section does not replace or supersede the authority, duty, or function of any Federal department, agency, bureau, other entity, or the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police concerning protection of a Member, officer, or family member. (f) “United States” means each State, the District of Columbia, and United States territories and possessions.
Subject to the direction of the Capitol Police Board, the United States Capitol Police is authorized to protect, in any area of the United States, the person of any Member of Congress, officer of the Congress, as defined in section 4101(b) of this title, and any member of the immediate family of any such Member or officer, if the Capitol Police Board determines such protection to be necessary.
In carrying out its authority under this section, the Capitol Police Board, or its designee, is authorized, in accordance with regulations issued by the Board pursuant to this section, to detail, on a case-by-case basis, members of the United States Capitol Police to provide such protection as the Board may determine necessary under this section.
In the performance of their protective duties under this section, members of the United States Capitol Police are authorized (1) to 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; and (2) to utilize equipment and property of the Capitol Police.
Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs, resists, or interferes with a member of the Capitol Police engaged in the performance of the protective functions authorized by this section, shall be fined not more than $300 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to imply that the authority, duty, and function conferred on the Capitol Police Board and the United States Capitol Police are in lieu of or intended to supersede any authority, duty, or function imposed on any Federal department, agency, bureau, or other entity, or the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia, involving the protection of any such Member, officer, or family member.
As used in this section, the term “United States” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and territories and possessions of the United States.
Source credit: (July 31, 1946, ch. 707, § 9A, as added Pub. L. 97–143, § 1(a), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1723.)
- 1946Enacted · Pub. L. 97-143 · 95 Stat. 1723
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 97-143 on 1946-07-31.
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