[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today met in Senator Durbin’s Capitol office with representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Judicial Conference to ask that the $12 million appropriated to improve security for members of the federal judiciary be spent immediately.

Earlier this month, Durbin and Obama sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting his assistance in immediately releasing $12 million in funding for judicial security that they had appropriated. The funding was secured in April by Durbin and Obama in this year’s Supplemental Appropriations bill. The President signed the legislation into law on May 11,2005.

“The tragedy of Judge Joan Lefkow is a reminder that we cannot wait for this protection,” Durbin said. “I am very concerned that this money was being held up unnecessarily, forcing our federal judges to stand by without adequate security or a timetable for action. We now have assurances from the U.S. Marshals Service that they are moving forward to ensure that this money is allocated immediately for the installation and maintenance of security systems in the homes of federal judges.”

According to recent news reports, despite Congress’s clear intent to use the $12 million to improve security for members of the federal judiciary, much of this money has not been spent, and many judges are not receiving the protection they need. Chief Judge Charles Kocoras of the Northern District said many judges believe that, ‘there seems to be no urgency to the situation.’ In response to the reports, Durbin and Obama sent a letter in early December to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting his assistance in immediately releasing $12 million in funding for judicial security that they had appropriated.

Analysis shows that of the $12 million allotted, approximately $4 million will be used for the installation of systems over the next few months. The remaining $8 million is available to cover the monthly maintenance costs for the 2,200 federal judges nationwide.

“I am extremely frustrated that months after Senator Durbin and I requested this funding to protect our judges in their homes and courthouses, much of it still hasn’t been spent,” said Obama. “Today’s meeting and the commitments we received from the U.S. Marshals Service are a step in the right direction, but we need to do more to ensure that our judges are safe and that they can do their jobs without fear of retribution.”