[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 314 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 314

Expressing the sense of Congress on the closure of the main entrance to 
                           the Supreme Court.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2010

Ms. Eshoo (for herself, Mr. Baca, Mr. Becerra, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Cardoza, 
  Mr. Costello, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Farr, Mr. 
   Filner, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Grayson, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. 
     Kennedy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of 
 California, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Markey of Massachusetts, Ms. Matsui, Mr. 
     McNerney, Mr. Nadler of New York, Mr. Obey, Mr. Pallone, Mr. 
Perlmutter, Ms. Richardson, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of 
California, Ms. Shea-Porter, Ms. Slaughter, Ms. Speier, Mr. Thompson of 
   California, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Welch, and Ms. Woolsey) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress on the closure of the main entrance to 
                           the Supreme Court.

Whereas every day in the United States, Americans rise, place their hands on 
        their hearts, and recite a pledge to this Nation that concludes with the 
        assertion of ``justice for all'';
Whereas the courts of our Nation are where justice is nurtured, dispensed 
        without fear or favor, with equality of standing and stature;
Whereas in 1932, in laying the cornerstone of the building that would become the 
        first and only permanent home for the Supreme Court of the United 
        States, Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes told a Nation struggling 
        through the depths of the Great Depression that one of its most 
        treasured institutions remained vibrant and open, saying: ``The Republic 
        endures, and this is the symbol of its faith'';
Whereas on the west facade of the Supreme Court building, above the front doors 
        of the Court, are engraved the words: ``Equal Justice Under Law'', 
        encapsulating the principle of justice for all;
Whereas beneath the west facade, the doors to the Supreme Court feature bronze 
        sculptures depicting historic scenes in the evolution of the law, 
        moments upon which this Nation's traditions of justice and equality are 
        founded;
Whereas it is a powerful symbol of the American commitment to the principle of 
        ``justice for all'' that the front doors to the Supreme Court remain 
        open for all to enter;
Whereas since the Supreme Court occupied its permanent home in 1935, millions of 
        Americans have stepped through those open doors--to seek justice, to 
        watch the Court work with openness, and, each in their own way, to pay 
        tribute to a Nation not of men but of laws;
Whereas, on May 3, 2010, United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts 
        announced unilaterally that the Supreme Court--for the first time in 
        nearly 75 years--would be closing its western entrance to the public 
        based on security concerns;
Whereas in the words of Justice Stephen Breyer, as joined by Justice Ruth Bader 
        Ginsberg, ``To many members of the public, this Court's main entrance 
        and front steps are not only a means to, but also a metaphor for, access 
        to the Court itself'';
Whereas no other Supreme Court in the world has closed its main entrance to the 
        public, including those who have greater security concerns than the 
        United States;
Whereas Congress provided the appropriation to build the current Supreme Court 
        building and continues to provide appropriations for the Court, ensuring 
        that justice is available to all; and
Whereas Congress has regulated by statute the activities that can occur on the 
        grounds of the Supreme Court: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Supreme Court tradition of openness as symbolized 
        by its open front doors should be honored and continue to be 
        upheld;
            (2) even in the face of threats from enemies, it is of 
        critical and symbolic importance that the United States 
        demonstrates to the world that its most sacred institutions 
        will continue to be open for business to all who seek justice; 
        and
            (3) the Supreme Court should act with great dispatch to 
        take every step to open its main doors as a public entrance.
                                 <all>