2 USC § 1908 - Legal representation authority

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t2/s1908"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "2 USC § 1908 - Legal representation authority"
title_number: 2
title_name: "THE CONGRESS"
section_number: "1908"
section_name: "Legal representation authority"
chapter_number: 29
chapter_name: "CAPITOL POLICE"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION"
part_number: "A"
part_name: "General"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 108–83, title I, § 1002, Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1020; Pub. L. 111–145, §§ 3(b)(1), 4(a)(1), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 52.)"
---


# § 1908. Legal representation authority

**(a)** **In general**

**(1)** **Authorization of representation** 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)** **Counsel** 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)** **Limitations**

**(1)** **Direction for appearance** Entrance of appearance authorized under subsection (a) shall be subject to the direction of the Capitol Police Board.

**(2)** **United States Supreme Court** 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)** **Effective date** This section shall apply to fiscal year 2004, and each fiscal year thereafter.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 108–83, title I, § 1002, Sept. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 1020; Pub. L. 111–145, §§ 3(b)(1), 4(a)(1), Mar. 4, 2010, 124 Stat. 52.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section is from the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004.

### Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a)(2)(A). , 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). , 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

> “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 [
> 
> ].”

, , , 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 [
> 
> ].”

, , , 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 [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: