From the document: "In 1968, Congress authorized U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection of presidential candidates following the assassination of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy. At that time, a congressional advisory committee (82 Stat. 170) was established to make recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury on which candidates should be protected. Threats against Presidents and presidential candidates have a long history in the United States. The USSS was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003. The Secretary of Homeland Security now has the responsibility of determining which presidential candidates are protected, following the recommendations of the advisory committee. The committee includes the Speaker and minority leader of the House, the Senate majority and minority leaders, and one additional member selected by the committee. There are two categories of candidates who receive USSS protection: (1) candidate protectees, who receive protection prior to receiving their political party's nomination; and (2) nominee protectees, who receive protection following their party's nomination. The USSS is statutorily required to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates within 120 days of the general presidential elections, as well as their spouses (18 U.S.C. [United States Code] §3056(a)). This In Focus discusses protection of presidential candidates--both before and after the party nominating conventions--and provides an overview of funding for security operations at the nominating conventions."