The House of Representatives passed a Senate-approved bill last week that would extend security protections for Supreme Court justices and their families.
The Supreme Court Police Parity Act of 2022 grants protections to the immediate family of the Chief Justice, any Associate Justice, or any officer of the Supreme Court if the Marshal determines such protection is necessary.
The bill, introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) passed unanimously in the Senate on May 9, just days after protesters began demonstrating in front of the homes of the conservative justices. The protests erupted in early May after a leaked draft majority opinion that would strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.
“The events… have intensified the focus on Supreme Court Justices’ families, who are unfortunately facing threats to their safety in today’s increasingly polarized political climate,” Sen. Cornyn said in a statement on May 5.
After noting that the family of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was seen on national TV during her confirmation hearings, Sen. Coons asserted, “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.”
After its passage in the Senate, the bill was forwarded to the House for consideration and was passed yesterday by a vote of 396 to 27. All 27 “no” votes came from Democrats.
The House vote came one week after a man armed with a handgun, knife, pepper spray, and burglary tools was arrested near the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The man, identified as Nicholas John Roske, called 911 and reported that he wanted to kill Justice Kavanaugh because he was angry that the Supreme Court might overturn Roe, and he was upset about the school shooting in Uvalde.
“Supreme Court justices shouldn’t be subject to intimidation and violence,” Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) tweeted after the vote. “I voted to expand security for them and their families so they can do their jobs. It’s disgraceful that 27 Democrats voted no even after the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh.”
Supreme Court justices shouldn’t be subject to intimidation and violence.
I voted to expand security for them and their families so they can do their jobs. It’s disgraceful that 27 Democrats voted no even after the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh.
— Morgan Griffith (@RepMGriffith) June 14, 2022
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) is one of the Democrats who opposed the bill. Explaining her vote, Escobar referenced abortion clinics and argued the bill would extend protections to justices’ family members instead of “health care providers and patients and staff who are vulnerable every day, especially because of the actions of this Supreme Court.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that President Biden supports the increased security for the Supreme Court and its members. He is expected to sign the bill into law later this month.
Great! Another law that can be touted as “doing something” and then selectively enforced just like laws already on the books.