Title 2The CongressRelease 119-73

§1979 Release of security information

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - CAPITOL POLICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - POWERS AND DUTIES › § 1979

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Capitol Police may only share security information if the Capitol Police Board agrees, after consulting other law enforcement, security-preparedness experts, and the appropriate congressional committees, and finds that sharing will not endanger the Capitol buildings and grounds or anyone the Capitol Police protect. "Security information" means sensitive details about policing, protection, physical security, intelligence, counterterrorism, or emergency response for Congress, the Capitol complex, or people the Capitol Police protect, and information the Board or Capitol Police have or control. The House and Senate (and their members, officers, or committees) can still get information about Capitol Police operations. The Capitol Police Board may make rules to carry out this policy with approval of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and the House Committee on House Administration. This rule took effect December 8, 2004, and applies to any remaining part of fiscal year 2004 if the Act was enacted before October 1, 2004, and to fiscal year 2005 and later.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §1979

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “security information” means information that—
(1)is sensitive with respect to the policing, protection, physical security, intelligence, counterterrorism actions, or emergency preparedness and response relating to Congress, any statutory protectee of the Capitol Police, and the Capitol buildings and grounds; and
(2)is obtained by, on behalf of, or concerning the Capitol Police Board, the Capitol Police, or any incident command relating to emergency response.
(b)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any security information in the possession of the Capitol Police may be released by the Capitol Police to another entity, including an individual, only if the Capitol Police Board determines in consultation with other appropriate law enforcement officials, experts in security preparedness, and appropriate committees of Congress, that the release of the security information will not compromise the security and safety of the Capitol buildings and grounds or any individual whose protection and safety is under the jurisdiction of the Capitol Police.
(c)Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the ability of the Senate and the House of Representatives (including any Member, officer, or committee of either House of Congress) to obtain information from the Capitol Police regarding the operations and activities of the Capitol Police that affect the Senate and House of Representatives.
(d)The Capitol Police Board may promulgate regulations to carry out this section, with the approval of the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives.
(e)This section shall take effect on December 8, 2004, and apply with respect to—
(1)any remaining portion of fiscal year 2004, if this Act is enacted before October 1, 2004; and
(2)fiscal year 2005 and each fiscal year thereafter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), is div. G of Pub. L. 108–447, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3166, known as the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005, which was enacted Dec. 8, 2004. Codification Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005, which is div. G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 1979

Title 2The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73