---
kind: "section"
citation: "2 U.S.C. § 6617"
title: "2"
title_heading: "The Congress"
number: "6617"
heading: "Law enforcement authority of Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/2/6617"
units:
  - "Chapter 65 — Senate Officers and Administration"
  - "Subchapter III — Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of Senate"
  - "Part B — General Powers and Duties"
---

# §6617. Law enforcement authority of Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate

- (a) **In general—** The Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate shall have the same law enforcement authority, including the authority to carry firearms, as a [member](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Capitol Police. The law enforcement authority under the preceding sentence shall be subject to the requirement that the Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate have the qualifications specified in [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Qualifications—** The qualifications referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) are the following:
  - (1) A minimum of 5 years of experience as a law enforcement officer before beginning service as the Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate.
  - (2) Current certification in the use of firearms by the appropriate Federal law enforcement entity or an equivalent non-Federal entity.
  - (3) Any other firearms qualification required for [members](/usc/2/4556.md?p=2) of the Capitol Police.
- (c) **Regulations—** The Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate shall have authority to prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–145, § 8, Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 56.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 61f–14 of this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.