Senate Passes Bill Granting Security to Families of SCOTUS Justices, in the Wake of Protests Over Roe v. Wade Leak

The bipartisan Supreme Court Police Parity Act follows last week’s leaked Roe v. Wade draft opinion.

Pro-choice demonstrators gather outside the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on May 9, 2022, in Alexandria, Virginia. Credit: Getty Images
Pro-choice demonstrators gather outside the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on May 9, 2022, in Alexandria, Virginia. Credit: Getty Images

The U.S. Senate passed a bill yesterday authorizing the use of police protection for immediate family members of Supreme Court justices and other officers of the court, following pro-abortion protests that took place outside of the homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justice Samuel Alito.

Over the weekend, abortion rights supporters congregated in the Maryland suburb of Chevy Chase to rally outside Kavanaugh and Roberts’ private residences. CNN reported that activist organization ShutdownDC spearheaded a vigil last night outside Alito’s home in Alexandria, Virginia.

The bipartisan Supreme Court Police Parity Act, introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), comes on the heels of last week’s leaked draft opinion by Politico indicating that the landmark 1973 reproductive health ruling Roe v. Wade may be overturned.

“The events of the past week have intensified the focus on Supreme Court Justices’ families, who are unfortunately facing threats to their safety in today’s increasingly polarized political climate,” Cornyn said in a news release prior to the bill’s unanimous passing.

“We must act to ensure Justices and their families are protected from those who wish to cause them harm by extending Supreme Court police security to family members.”

He went on to say, “If the families of Supreme Court Justices have the same profile and exposure as the highest ranking officials in our government, they deserve the same level of protection. We must take threats that come from extremes on both sides of the political spectrum against Supreme Court Justices seriously, and that makes this bill an unfortunate necessity.”

The new legislation is an amendment of existing legislation that provides security for Supreme Court Justices, per NPR.