Judiciary Committee Advances Bipartisan Legislation to Shine Light on Federal Court Proceedings

WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced two bipartisan bills by voice vote to allow television cameras in federal courtrooms. The bills are led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

“The judicial branch has a massive impact on Americans’ daily lives, yet few of us get the chance to see the wheels of justice in motion,” Grassley said. “Allowing cameras in federal courtrooms would help foster civic engagement and increase confidence in our legal system. I’m glad to see these bipartisan bills pass the Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support, and I urge Republicans and Democrats alike to back this pro-transparency measure as it heads to the full Senate.”

“It’s time to put cameras in the Supreme Court and other federal courts so more Americans can finally see arguments and decisions in cases that will affect them for generations to come. Our bipartisan bills shine a light into the judicial branch of government, and I urge our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support these transparency measures,” Durbin said.

The Sunshine in the Courtroom Act, authored by Grassley and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would grant all federal courts the discretion to allow television cameras in the courtroom, while protecting the identities of witnesses and jurors. Additional cosponsors include Durbin and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

Bill text of the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act is available HERE. A fact sheet is available HERE.

The Cameras in the Courtroom Act, led by Durbin and Grassley, would instruct the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of open sessions, unless a majority of the Justices decide that doing so would violate due process. Additional cosponsors include Klobuchar and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Bill text of the Cameras in the Courtroom Act is available HERE.

The Judiciary Committee also advanced by voice vote the bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act to protect Americans from unauthorized deepfakes, and favorably reported the following nominees:

• Benjamin M. Flowers, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, by a vote of 12-10.
• Matthew A. Schwartz, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, by a vote of 12-10.
• Michael J. Hendershot, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio, by a vote of 12-10.
• Arthur Roberts Jones, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, by a vote of 12-10.
• Jeffrey T. Kuntz, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida, by a vote of 12-10.
• John George Edward Marck, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, by a vote of 12-10.
• Don Richard Berthiaume, Jr., to be Inspector General for the Department of Justice, by a vote of 14-8.
• Sean Costello, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, by a vote of 17-5.

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