Dec. 19, 2007 – 2:31 p.m.
The House cleared legislation by voice vote Wednesday that aims to combat violence against judges, other courthouse officials and witnesses in legal proceedings.
The Senate passed the long-stalled legislation by voice vote Dec. 17 after changes were made to address concerns by Republican Sen.
President Bush is expected to sign the bill.
“This legislation has been years in the making and we are now finally able to send it to the president,” said House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich.
The bill would authorize an additional $20 million annually for the U.S. Marshals’ Service for fiscal years 2007-11 to protect federal judges and courthouses. Filing a false lien against a federal employee would be punishable by a fine and up to 10 years in prison.
Under the measure, possession of dangerous weapons would be barred in federal courthouses. The bill would increase the maximum criminal penalty for voluntary manslaughter to 15 years, from 10 years, and the maximum penalty for involuntary manslaughter to eight years, from six years. And it would boost criminal penalties for threatening or killing witnesses and informants.
The compromise provides for immediately eliminating one seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and adding a seat on the 9th Circuit court, effective one day after Bush leaves office in 2009.