S. 378: Court Security Improvement Act of 2007

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S. 378: Court Security Improvement Act of 2007

110th Congress · introduced 2007-01-24 · Law · Latest: Held at the desk.

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Official title

Court Security Improvement Act of 2007

Plain summary

Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 - Title I: Judicial Security Improvements and Funding - (Sec. 101) Amends the federal judicial code to require the Director of the U.S. Marshals Service to consult with the Judicial Conference of the United States (Judicial Conference) on a continuing basis regarding the security requirements of the judicial branch. (Sec. 102) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to: (1) authorize the Judicial Conference to allow redactions of personal information of family members of judges from financial disclosure forms filed by such judges; (2) extend through 2009 the authority of the Judicial Conference to redact certain personal information of judges from financial disclosure reports; and (3) require the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to include in its annual report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees additional information about redactions from financial disclosure forms. (Sec. 104) Amends the federal judicial code and the Internal Revenue Code to authorize the U.S. Marshals Service to provide security for the U.S. Tax Court. (Sec. 105) Authorizes an additional appropriation in each of FY2007-FY2011 for the U.S. Marshals Service for protection of the judiciary. Requires such additional funding to be used for: (1) hiring entry-level deputy marshals to provide judicial security; (2) hiring senior-level deputy marshals for investigating threats to the judiciary and for providing protection for members of the judiciary and assistant U.S. attorneys; and (3) the Office of Protective Intelligence. Title II: Criminal Law Enhancements To Protect Judges, Family Members, and Witnesses - (Sec. 201) Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the filing (or attempts or conspiracies to file) in any public record any false lien or encumbrance against the real or personal property of any U.S. officer or employee on account of the performance of that officer's or employee's official duties, knowing such lien or encumbrance is false. Impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 10 years for violations. (Sec. 202) Prohibits the public disclosure of restricted personal information about a federal officer or employee, witness, or juror (or immediate family members) with the intent to threaten or cause harm to such individuals. Imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to five years for violations. (Sec. 203) Prohibits the possession of dangerous weapons in federal court facilities. (Sec. 204) Sets forth venue requirements for prosecutions for retaliation against a witness. (Sec. 205) Increases maximum prison terms for tampering with, or retaliating against, a witness, victim, or informant. (Sec. 207) Increases maximum prison terms for voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. Title III: Protecting State And Local Judges And Related Grant Programs - (Sec. 301) Amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to include as a required use of community-based justice grants the creation and expansion of state, local, or Indian tribe witness protection programs. Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2011. (Sec. 302) Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make state courts eligible for grants to improve court security (correctional options grants) and for armor vests. Title IV: Law Enforcement Officers - Requires the Attorney General to report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the security of assistant U.S. attorneys and other federal attorneys arising from the prosecution of terrorists and other violent criminals. Requires such report to include information on the number and nature of threats and assaults against such attorneys, security measures in place to protect such attorneys, programs available to such attorneys for personal security training, secure parking spaces for such attorneys, and the role of the U.S. Marshals Service in protecting such attorneys. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the federal judicial code to: (1) authorize through FY2010 the U.S. Sentencing Commission to enter into multi-year procurement contracts and to make advance, partial, progress, or other payments for property or services to the same extent as executive agencies; (2) extend certain life insurance benefits to bankruptcy, magistrate, and territorial judges; (3) expand the powers of judges who have retired from active service (senior judges) to include all powers of a sitting judge, including participation in the appointment of court officers, the selection of magistrate judges, rulemaking, governance, and administrative matters; (4) reduce the number of judges on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 12 to 11; and (5) increase the number of judges on the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 28 to 29.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 378, Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 (2007-03-23); CBO cost estimate: S. 378, Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 (2007-03-23)

Cosponsors on this site

Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

Recorded votes

• Senate vote 133 (2007): On the Cloture Motion, S378 (2007-04-18): Cloture Motion Agreed to
• Senate vote 134 (2007): On the Motion to Table, S378 (2007-04-18): Motion to Table Agreed to
• Senate vote 135 (2007): On Passage of the Bill, S378 (2007-04-19): Bill Passed

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Passed Senate amended)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110s378.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/s>

Record fed-us-cong110-s378 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110