WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mark R Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee today sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging the House of Representatives to immediately pass and send to the President’s desk—before adjourning this week—the Warner-Hagerty bipartisan legislation providing emergency security resources to protect the U.S. Supreme Court, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent yesterday.

“There is no question that the Supreme Court, its justices, their families, and court employees are under unprecedented threat, as evidenced by recent highly publicized threats against Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Sotomayor. These threats may very well become more acute in the coming weeks, as the Court concludes its term. There is no question that protecting the Court from these threats requires additional, unexpected resources in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22),” the senators wrote.

The Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022, which the senators introduced last week, provides an additional $10.3 million to the U.S. Marshals Service and $9.1 million to the U.S. Supreme Court to cover unexpected, increased security costs for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). If the funding is not immediately provided, the Court and Marshals Service will be forced to transfer funds from other critical functions and entities.

“Last week, Congress passed—and the President signed into law—important legislation by Senators Cornyn and Coons to increase the scope of authorized Supreme Court Police protection to include the justices’ immediate family members. There should be no question regarding whether Congress will similarly provide the resources necessary to protect the Supreme Court during this hour of need. We look forward to the House swiftly passing this legislation so that it can be enacted into law before the Supreme Court concludes its term in the next couple of weeks,” the senators concluded.

A copy of the letter can be found below.

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy,

Yesterday, the Senate passed by unanimous consent the Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022, which we introduced last week.  This bipartisan legislation provides emergency security resources to protect the Supreme Court of the United States.  We strongly urge the House of Representatives to immediately pass H.R. 4346, as amended by the Senate, before adjourning this week, so that this time-sensitive legislation is sent directly to the President’s desk. 

The need for and urgency of this security funding is plain.  There is no question that the Supreme Court, its justices, their families, and court employees are under unprecedented threat, as evidenced by recent highly publicized threats against Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Sotomayor.  These threats may very well become more acute in the coming weeks, as the Court concludes its term. There is no question that protecting the Court from these threats requires additional, unexpected resources in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).  This legislation provides those necessary resources. 

More specifically, the U.S. Marshals Service has been providing around-the-clock security for the nine Justices at their homes and needs $10.3 million in additional funding to cover these costs for the remainder of FY22.  The Supreme Court needs $9.1 million to cover its increased security costs for FY22, from overtime pay for Supreme Court Police officers to mutual-aid payments to assisting law enforcement agencies and increased physical security around the Supreme Court Building.

If Congress does not immediately provide this funding, the Court and Marshals Service will have to transfer funds from other critical functions and entities, like the U.S. District Courts and U.S. Courts of Appeals.

Last week, Congress passed—and the President signed into law—important legislation by Senators Cornyn and Coons to increase the scope of authorized Supreme Court Police protection to include the justices’ immediate family members.  There should be no question regarding whether Congress will similarly provide the resources necessary to protect the Supreme Court during this hour of need. 

We look forward to the House swiftly passing this legislation so that it can be enacted into law before the Supreme Court concludes its term in the next couple of weeks. 

Sincerely,

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