Senate Passes Critical Court Security Legislation

 

WASHINGTON (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007) – The Senate Monday night unanimously passed legislation championed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) to help protect Federal judges, witnesses and officers from threats and attacks.

 

The Court Security Improvement Act will establish new criminal penalties for the misuse of restricted personal information to threaten or seriously harm judges and their families, or other individuals performing official duties, including witnesses and court officers.  The bill also enhances penalties for tampering with or retaliating against witnesses, and provides new resources to improve security for state and local courts.

 

“The Senate has waited far too long to enact this legislation to protect those who guard justice in our court system,” said Leahy.  “There is no doubt that we must protect officials of the court from disgruntled or disturbed individuals seeking to harm them, and the Senate has finally moved forward to make more resources available to provide that security to our Federal judiciary.”

 

“I commend my colleagues for passing this important legislation which provides for the security of our Federal judges,” Specter said.  “There is no doubt that there is an urgent need for additional court security, in light of a number of attacks on judges. The independence of our judiciary is fundamental in our society for the rule of law.”

 

Leahy and Specter introduced the Court Security Improvement Act in the Senate earlier this year, and the legislation has received bipartisan support.  The House earlier this year passed a similar measure.  The bill passed Monday by the Senate incorporates language from the House passed bill, as well as provisions key to Senate passage.  The bill will be sent back to the House for a final vote before it is sent to the President.

 

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Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
On Senate Passage Of The Court Security Improvement Act Of 2007
December 17, 2007

 

At the very beginning of this Congress, one of the very first actions I took was to re-introduce the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007, along with Senators Reid, Specter, Durbin, Cornyn, Kennedy, Hatch, Schumer and Collins. The Judiciary Committee considered this important legislation, and recommended it to the full Senate.  When Majority Leader Reid wanted to move to consider it, he could not get a time agreement.  We were forced to dedicate almost a week of precious floor time to overcome a Republican objection, just to proceed to debate on the bill.  Eventually, the measure passed by a 97 to 0 vote. Not a single Senator voted against it.  A short time later, a nearly identical bill passed the House by a voice vote. Despite the broad bipartisan support for both bills, however, we were blocked from going to conference to resolve the minor differences between them by an anonymous hold placed by a Republican Senator.  For months, we negotiated the minor differences between the House and Senate versions of this legislation.  

 

When we are responding to attacks and threats on our federal judges, witnesses and officers, time is of the essence.  Just last month in Nevada, a man admitted to shooting and injuring the family court judge who was presiding over his divorce.  This type of violence against our judiciary can and must be prevented.  For our justice system to function effectively, our judges and other court personnel must be safe and secure. They and their families must be free from the fear of retaliation and harassment. Witnesses who come forward must be protected, and the courthouses where our laws are enforced must be secure.  Today, almost eleven months after introducing this legislation, we may actually reach consent to pass a compromise version that will pass the House and be sent to the President.  

 

We must act now to get these protections in place and stop delaying such protective measures by anonymous holds. I urge Senators to take up and pass this compromise version of the Court Security Improvement Act so that we can provide the necessary protections that our Federal courts so desperately need. The security of our Federal judges and our courthouses around the nation is at stake. 

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