The White House issued a presidential message honoring the Secret Service on the occasion of its 161st anniversary as a federal agency.
According to the White House, the agency was formally established on July 5, 1865, following the passage of enabling legislation. That founding date now stands 161 years in the past.
The White House said the agency operates under the motto "Worthy of Trust and Confidence." Its responsibilities, per the message, include protecting the nation's leaders as well as safeguarding key national institutions.
The presidential message praised the agency's personnel for their selflessness, the White House reported. The message also described Secret Service members as quietly professional and vigilant in carrying out their duties.
The White House's message marked the anniversary of an agency that, by its own founding date, has spent more than a century and a half in federal service.