How Long Does The Secret Service Protect The President

The White House

Obama restores lifetime Secret Service for old presidents

January 12, 2013 / 10:31 AM / CBS News

Under a new law signed today past President Obama, all onetime U.S. presidents and offset ladies will receive lifetime Secret Service protection.

The measure out as well authorizes protection for the children of former presidents until they are 16 years old.

Bush-league daughters kept Secret Service protection

In 1994, as a cost-saving measure, Congress acted to limit protection for future former presidents and spouses to simply 10 years after they left part.

The 1994 measure exempted then-President Bill Clinton and first practical to George W. Bush and all his successors.

Eighteen years later, Congress reconsidered.

"The globe has changed dramatically since the 9/11 terrorist attacks," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, during House debate on the bill in November.

"We must make certain that the safety and security of our former main executives is non jeopardized," said Smith.

There were some voices of dissent about restoring lifetime protection to former presidents.

"I call back we have seen that existence a one-time president tin exist a pretty lucrative career, and I experience that afterwards 10 years, if these former presidents feel the need for additional security, they should pay for information technology themselves," said Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C., in a statement. He led the fight in 1994 to limit protection for onetime presidents to just 10 years.

However, with widespread bipartisan support, the House passed the bill by voice vote concluding calendar month and past unanimous consent in the Senate a few days before the 112th Congress came to a close.

Former presidents and first ladies remain free to relinquish Secret Service protection as did Richard Nixon in 1985, xi years after he left role.

The Secret Service does non divulge the costs of its protective details, but it's believed to be in the range of tens of millions of dollars a year for each former president.

Marker Knoller