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Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73

§1908 Legal representation authority

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - CAPITOL POLICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION › Part Part A— - General › § 1908

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets certain Capitol Police lawyers appear in court for the United States Capitol Police Board or the United States Capitol Police without having to meet each court’s usual lawyer admission rules. That includes the General Counsel and the Employment Counsel for the Chief of Police and the Capitol Police, attorneys who work in those two offices, lawyers in any successor offices, and contract lawyers hired by those offices. Such court appearances must follow the directions of the Capitol Police Board. This rule does not let anyone get admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. It applies starting in fiscal year 2004 and every fiscal year after.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §1908

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Any counsel described under paragraph (2) may for the purposes of providing legal assistance and representation to the United States Capitol Police Board or the United States Capitol Police enter an appearance in any proceeding before any court of the United States or of any State or political subdivision thereof, without compliance with any requirement for admission to practice before such court.
(2)Paragraph (1) refers to—
(A)the General Counsel to the Chief of Police and the United States Capitol Police;
(B)the Employment Counsel to the Chief of Police and the United States Capitol Police;
(C)any attorney employed in the Office of the General Counsel for the United States Capitol Police or the Office of Employment Counsel for the United States Capitol Police;
(D)the counsel for, or any attorney employed by, any successor office of either office described under subparagraph (C); and
(E)any attorney retained by contract with either office described under subparagraph (C).
(b)(1)Entrance of appearance authorized under subsection (a) shall be subject to the direction of the Capitol Police Board.
(2)The authority under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the admission of any person to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
(c)This section shall apply to fiscal year 2004, and each fiscal year thereafter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004.

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 111–145, § 3(b)(1), substituted “the General Counsel to the Chief of Police and the United States Capitol Police” for “the General Counsel for the United States Capitol Police Board and the Chief of the Capitol Police”. Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–145, § 4(a)(1), substituted “the Employment Counsel to the Chief of Police and the United States Capitol Police” for “the Employment Counsel for the United States Capitol Police Board and the United States Capitol Police”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Construction

of 2010 Amendment Pub. L. 111–145, § 3(b)(2), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 52, provided that: “Nothing in the amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] may be construed to affect the authority of any individual to enter an appearance in any proceeding before any court of the United States or of any State or political subdivision thereof which is initiated prior to the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 4, 2010].” Pub. L. 111–145, § 4(a)(2), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 52, provided that: “Nothing in the amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] may be construed to affect the authority of any individual to enter an appearance in any proceeding before any court of the United States or of any State or political subdivision thereof which is initiated prior to the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 4, 2010].” Pub. L. 111–145, § 4(b), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 52, provided that: “Nothing in this section [amending this section and enacting provisions set out as a note above] or the

Amendments

made by this section may be construed to affect the status of the individual serving as the Employment Counsel to the Chief of Police and the United States Capitol Police as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 4, 2010].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 1908

Title 2 — The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73