Senate Passes Bill to Provide Security to Families of Supreme Court Justices
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The Senate passed a bill on Monday evening to provide security to family members of Supreme Court justices, following protests outside their homes in anticipation that the Court will overturn Roe v. Wade.
The bill was sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R., Texas) and Chris Coons (D., Del.) and passed by unanimous consent with no objections from senators. The House must pass the bill before President Biden can approve it.
“Threats to the physical safety of Supreme Court Justices and their families are disgraceful, and attempts to intimidate and influence the independence of our judiciary cannot be tolerated,” Cornyn said in a statement after the bill was passed.
“I am glad to see this bipartisan bill unanimously pass the Senate in order to extend security protection to the families of Supreme Court members,” Coons added in the statement.
The leak to Politico last week of a draft opinion by conservative justices that suggested the Court could overturn the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade sparked criticism from Democrats, including the president, who termed the opinion “radical.” Protesters have picketed outside the homes of Supreme Court justices in the days since, with pro-abortion protesters arriving at Justice Samuel Alito’s home on Monday, in footage recorded by the Daily Wire:
Protestors give prepared speeches in front of the Supreme Court justices home. Doesn’t seem like the Alito family is here pic.twitter.com/hTIITu0aRh
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) May 10, 2022
On Saturday, protesters also arrived at the homes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Workers have put up fencing around the Supreme Court since the draft opinion was leaked, and pro- and anti-abortion protesters have demonstrated outside the Court.
