[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H10254-H10255]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROTECTING COURT OFFICIALS OFF SUPREME COURT GROUNDS

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 3296) to extend the authority of the United States 
Supreme Court Police to protect court officials off the Supreme Court 
Grounds and change the title of the Administrative Assistant to the 
Chief Justice.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 3296

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT POLICE AND COUNSELOR 
                   TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

       (a) Extension of Authority of the United States Supreme 
     Court Police To Protect Court Officials Off the Supreme Court 
     Grounds.--Section 6121(b)(2) of title 40, United States Code, 
     is amended by striking ``2008'' and inserting ``2013''.
       (b) Counselor to the Chief Justice.--
       (1) Office of federal judicial administration.--Section 
     133(b)(2) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking ``administrative assistant'' and inserting 
     ``Counselor''.
       (2) Judicial official.--Section 376(a) of title 28, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(E), by striking ``an administrative 
     assistant'' and inserting ``a Counselor''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)(E), by striking ``an administrative 
     assistant'' and inserting ``a Counselor''.
       (3) Administrative assistant to the chief justice.--
       (A) In general.--Section 677 of title 28, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (i) in the section heading, by striking ``Administrative 
     Assistant'' and inserting ``Counselor'';
       (ii) in subsection (a)--

       (I) in the first sentence, by striking ``an Administrative 
     Assistant'' and inserting ``a Counselor''; and
       (II) in the second and third sentences, by striking 
     ``Administrative Assistant'' each place that term appears and 
     inserting ``Counselor''; and

       (iii) in subsections (b) and (c), by striking 
     ``Administrative Assistant'' each place that term appears and 
     inserting ``Counselor''.
       (B) Table of sections.--The table of sections for chapter 
     45 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by striking 
     the item relating to section 677 and inserting the following:

``677. Counselor to the Chief Justice.''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON ACCEPTANCE OF HONORARY CLUB 
                   MEMBERSHIPS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Gift.--The term ``gift'' has the meaning given under 
     section 109(5) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 
     U.S.C. App.).
       (2) Judicial officer.--The term ``judicial officer'' has 
     the meaning given under section 109(10) of the Ethics in 
     Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.).
       (b) Prohibition on Acceptance of Honorary Club 
     Memberships.--A judicial officer may not accept a gift of an 
     honorary club membership with a value of more than $50 in any 
     calendar year.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CONYERS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in this case, the title accurately describes the 
contents of the bill. It attempts and proposes to extend the authority 
of the United States Supreme Court Police to protect court officials 
off the Supreme Court grounds and changes the title of the 
Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice.
  Congress has given the Supreme Court Police statutory recognition 
since 1982, with authority to patrol the Supreme Court buildings and 
grounds, make arrests, carry firearms, and protect the Chief Justice, 
any Associate Justice, official guests, and employees of the Court 
while performing official duties.
  The Supreme Court Police are also authorized to protect the Justices 
and employees of the Court while they are away from the Court building, 
anywhere in the United States. We have extended this authority on 
several occasions, and this bill does so again, so that it will not 
expire at the end of this year.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, so that the Supreme 
Court Police can continue to perform their critical mission 
effectively.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation is very similar to the legislation we 
passed in the House a week ago, H.R. 6855.
  The bill addresses an issue affecting the safety of the Justices and 
other officials who work at the United States Supreme Court.
  First, the legislation extends the authority of the U.S. Supreme 
Court Police to protect Court officials off the Supreme Court grounds 
through 2013. The current authorization expires on December 29, 2008.
  This provision is necessary and noncontroversial. Congress created 
the original authority in 1982 and has renewed it regularly. The last 
authorization was 4 years ago.
  Failure to extend the authority places the Justices and other Supreme 
Court employees and officers at risk. In light of heightened security 
threats, it is vital that the Supreme Court Police be empowered to 
carry out this service without interruption. In fact, Justice Souter 
was attacked off grounds while jogging in May 2004, the same year we 
last extended the authority.
  As with previous authorizations, it is contemplated that the 
authority extends to the immediate area in the District and surrounding 
environs. The Marshall Service would provide protection to the Justices 
when they speak or travel out of the D.C.-Virginia-Maryland 
metropolitan region.
  Finally, the legislation prohibits Federal judges from accepting 
honorary memberships to clubs that are valued in excess of $50. The 
last item is the only distinction between S. 3296 and the House bill.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 3296 acknowledges an unfortunate but realistic 
problem: sometimes the Justices must be protected off Supreme Court 
grounds. This is a legislative exercise that the Congress has regularly 
undertaken on behalf of the Court since 1982.
  I urge the Members to support the bill.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 
3296, a bill to extend the authority of the United States Supreme Court 
Police to protect court officials of the Supreme Court grounds and 
change the title of the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice. 
This bill makes sense and it should be supported. I urge my colleagues 
to support this very important bill.
  Four years ago, Supreme Court Justice David Souter was assaulted by 
two men while jogging near his home. While this attack was deemed only 
a random assault, this should serve as a wake-up call for us all. The 
Supreme Court, like the Office of the President, is more important than 
the person serving in the position. Protecting them, isn't just about 
protecting the person, it's about protecting the sanctity of the court.
  Edmund Burke said that ``Good order is the foundation of all 
things.'' To keep this order, we much protect those who provide that 
order. As this country becomes more and more partisan, we risk that the 
more extreme factors in our society will lash out and circumvent the 
system by focusing their anger at the officers of the court. Already 
the court is coming under increased attack from both sides of the aisle 
as being ``activist.''
  This bill does something fundamental for the American way of life, it 
protects it. The legacy

[[Page H10255]]

of all those who came before us depends on making sure that those who 
come after can do the job duty requires. Nothing is more fundamentally 
American than protecting those who protect our rights.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that we pass this bill.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 3296.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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