Congressional leaders have been notified that Joe Biden's presidential campaign has requested protection from the Secret Service, according to a congressional official familiar with the discussions.

For a candidate to get protection from the Secret Service, he or she has to first ask the Department of Homeland Security, which will then conduct a threat assessment that will be reviewed by the top leaders in Congress: Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy. These leaders, known as the "big four," oversee the process.