Congress’ decision to fund the federal courts through a continuing resolution this fiscal year has led to the deferral of dozens of judicial security projects and the continuation of a hiring freeze for federal public defenders, a circuit court judge told a House Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday.
The hearing, focused on fiscal accountability and oversight of the federal courts, at times dipped into dark themes about the gravity of judicial security, with high-profile political violence and threats to judges and lawmakers at various levels of government.
Judge Amy St. Eve of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, who also chairs the Judicial Conference Committee on the Budget, outlined concerns with funding for judicial security, telling lawmakers that the best way to help with the budget is to simply fully fund the system.
