Republican bill would fund extra security for Supreme Court but omits lower court judges [View all]

Source: NBC News

Sept. 16, 2025, 6:43 PM EDT


WASHINGTON — The White House and its top Republican allies in Congress have, for now, snubbed federal judges who asked for additional security funds as a result of a recent spike in violent threats.

While a short-term government funding bill House Republicans unveiled Tuesday included $30 million in security funds for members of Congress and $28 million to help protect justices of the Supreme Court, it didn’t include the money requested for security for lower court judges.

The request was made by the U.S. Judicial Conference, the policy arm of the judiciary, which held its biannual meeting in Washington on Tuesday. The Republican stopgap bill “does not provide additional money for the lower court’s judicial security,” federal Appeals Judge Amy St. Eve, who serves on the Judicial Conference’s budget committee, said on a call with reporters shortly after its release.

The judiciary is “particularly concerned” about the lack of additional funding for both security and services that provide legal assistance to criminal defendants, she added. The security funds would go toward equipment needed to secure courthouses, such as security cameras and metal detectors, St. Eve said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/republican-bill-funds-extra-security-supreme-court-omits-lower-courts-rcna231418