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Durbin, Obama: Nearly $12 Million for Protection of Federal Judges Included in Senate Supplemental Appropriations Bill

Monday, April 11, 2005

For Immediate Release
Contact: Angela Benander (Durbin) -- 202-224-7115
Robert Gibbs (Obama) -- 202-228-5511
April 11, 2005

DURBIN, OBAMA: NEARLY $12 MILLION FOR PROTECTION OF FEDERAL JUDGES INCLUDED IN SENATE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Funding for Enhanced Security Will be Included in Legislation Considered by U.S. Senate This Week

WASHINTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today said that $12 million has been included in the fiscal year 2005 Supplemental Appropriations bill to protect federal judges in their homes and courthouses. The FY 2005 Supplemental Appropriations bill will be considered by the full Senate this week.

The additional funding was included by the Appropriations Committee at the request of Durbin and Obama. Last week, the Illinois senators wrote to Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Ranking Democrat Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) urging increased funding for federal judges and courtrooms in the Supplemental Appropriations bill, citing the recent murders of the husband and mother of federal judge Joan Lefkow in Chicago and the courtroom killings in Atlanta.

"Murders targeting judges in Illinois and Georgia have shown that we need to do more to keep judges safe in their homes and in our courtrooms," Durbin said. "It is clear that the Senate Appropriations Committee understands the urgent need to improve judicial security and that the Senate bill will include the necessary funding to prevent cruel and cold-blooded attacks on innocent individuals and on our criminal justice system."

"I am very pleased that the Senate has decided to include the amendment introduced by Senator Durbin and me to provide $12 million dollars for the protection of federal judges both on the job and in their homes," Obama said. "It is our obligation to protect those judges who protect us by upholding the law. Our judges should never worry that doing their job will put them at risk, and we should act immediately to ensure that they have the protections that they need."

Last week, Durbin and Obama urged Senate appropriators to adopt the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States – the principal policy-making body for the federal court system led by Chief Justice Rehnquist. The Judicial Conference requested that $12 million to increase security for federal judges be included in this year’s Supplemental Appropriations bill.

The funding approved by the Senate committee last week will be used for installation of security systems at the homes of federal judges, protective surveillance at the homes of judges and at courthouses, and for protective intelligence gathering and analysis.

Durbin and Obama also said today that they will continue to work on this issue, including additional funding in the fiscal year 2006 Appropriations bill if necessary.

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