WASHINGTON — The Senate on Monday handed bipartisan laws that will prolong security protections to instant family members of Supreme Court justices amid heightened tensions over a forthcoming abortion ruling.
The bill, launched final week by Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, sailed via with unanimous help. The measure, often known as the Supreme Court Police Parity Act, now heads to the House.
It would provide security comparable to protections for family members of sure govt and legislative department officers.
“We must act to ensure Justices and their families are protected from those who wish to cause them harm by extending Supreme Court police security to family members,” Cornyn stated in an announcement earlier than the vote, citing “the events of the past week.”
Protesters have held demonstrations after Politico printed a leaked draft opinion that indicated a majority of justices have been ready to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Over the weekend, protesters demonstrated outdoors the houses of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts. Another demonstration appeared to be scheduled for Monday evening outdoors the house of Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the leaked draft.
Tall fencing was erected close to the Supreme Court final week as crowds gathered to protest on each side of the abortion debate.
In a separate assertion earlier than Senate passage, Coons stated the bill was an “unlucky necessity” but one that was needed to address “extremes on each side of the political spectrum.”
“Millions of Americans who tuned into … Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing couldn’t miss seeing her husband and daughter on national TV,” Coons said. “If the families of Supreme Court Justices have the same profile and exposure as the highest ranking officials in our government, they deserve the same level of protection.”
The Senate confirmed Jackson final month. She will succeed Justice Stephen Breyer when he retires on the finish of the courtroom’s time period this summer season.
