John Conyers: “Sadly, Mr. Speaker, our Nation's judiciary has been the repeated targets of death threats and sometimes even violent…”

“Sadly, Mr. Speaker, our Nation's judiciary has been the repeated targets of death threats and sometimes even violent acts. In 2005, for example, the family members of a Federal judge in Chicago were murdered. Two weeks later, a State judge, court reporter, and a sheriff's deputy were killed in an Atlanta courthouse. And so it is these acts of violence in the judiciary that bring us together. Along with others, we have begun on the Judiciary Committee to realize the need for legislation that will perhaps try to deal more effectively with these concerns of safety in the courts. So I am pleased that the gentleman from Virginia, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Bobby Scott; and Judge Louie Gohmert of Texas, a distinguished member of the committee, have joined with me in this effort. What we seek to do is improve the security for court officers and the safeguards of judges and their families. We achieve this objective by making several revisions in the current law. First, we make the current redaction authority of Federal judges under the Ethics and Government Act permanent.”