Senate Passes Bill To Protect Judges
And Other U.S. Officials From Violent Attacks

WASHINGTON (Fri., Dec. 21) -- On the last day of this year's congressional session, the U.S. Senate late Thursday passed a bipartisan bill that would stiffen the maximum prison sentences for several violent offenses against federal judges, law enforcement officers, and federal officeholders and their families.

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) teamed up to offer the bill – the Federal Judiciary Protection Act -- and Leahy, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, moved it through the panel and onto the Senate calendar. This is the third try for the bill; the Senate now has unanimously approved it in three consecutive sessions, but the House of Representatives has failed to take it up for consideration. Smith and Leahy will continue to push for final action on the bill so that it can reach the President's desk for his signature.

"Those who try to intimidate our courts are trying to undermine our system of justice, and as a society we must make it perfectly plain that their crimes will not be tolerated," said Leahy. "We also will not tolerate those who attack our system of government by harming those who enforce our laws or who serve in government office."

Violence and threats of violence against government officials have been a concern long before this year's terrorist attacks. In 1998 two Capitol Police officers were slain in the line of duty in the Capitol Building. Timothy McVeigh targeted the federal office building in Oklahoma City in 1995. A federal Border Patrol officer, John Pfeiffer, was seriously wounded in1997during Carl Drega's shootout with Vermont and New Hampshire law enforcement officers along the states' border. Death threats were directed earlier this year to Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.). As a federal law enforcement officer, Agent Pfeiffer and his family, for example, will receive greater protection under this bill.

Federal law enforcement officers covered by the bill include U.S. Capitol Police officers, Secret Service agents, U.S. marshals and Border Patrol and Customs agents. Covered officials include the president, vice president, cabinet secretaries and members of Congress.

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