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Today, Congressman David Scott announced funding for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, which will receive $300,000 for security upgrades at the Fulton County Justice Center Complex. The project was included in the bill funding the U.S. Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and other agencies for Fiscal Year 2006. Congressman Scott also supported the passage of a bill to provide penalties for assaulting, kidnapping, murdering (or plotting to do so) a U.S. official or employee, a federal judge or law enforcement officer, or their immediate family members. “I am pleased to be able to provide the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department with assistance in improving security at the Fulton County Justice Center,” Congressman Scott said. “Given the major security breach earlier this year, Fulton County needs additional resources to secure the Justice Center.” The FY 2006 spending bill was passed by the U.S House of Representatives today. It must now be signed into law by the President. The Fulton County JCC houses the county courthouse (including state, superior, magistrate courts, and judges’ chambers), Sheriff’s headquarters, marshal’s headquarters, and District Attorney Offices. The JCC is also connected to the Fulton County Government Building via a pedestrian sky bridge. Today Congress also passed H.R. 1751, the Secure Access to Justice and Court Protection Act. This measure provides enhanced criminal penalties where the victim is a United States judge, Federal law enforcement officer or a Federally Funded Public Safety Officer such as a firefighter or law enforcement officer. It raises maximum punishments for crimes against victims, witnesses, jurors, and informants. Finally, the bill will create a new federal criminal offense for flight to avoid prosecution for killing a peace officer, and imposes 10 years imprisonment in addition to whatever the defendant receives for the substantive offense. “My constituents, the residents of the Atlanta area, and the law-abiding citizens of this great nation deserve the right to go about their daily lives knowing that our court rooms are secure,” Congressman Scott said during a statement from the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. A full text of his statement is enclosed below.

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FULL REMARKS INSERTED INTO NOVEMBER 9, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: Mr. Speaker, the entire country witnessed what happened in my district, in the Fulton County Courthouse, on the morning of March 11, 2005. On that day, Brian Nichols, was to appear in a retrial for charges of rape and false imprisonment. As he was escorted from his holding cell to change into civilian clothes for the proceeding, he over-powered the female sheriff’s deputy overseeing his transfer, stole her gun, and shot her in the face. Mr. Nichols then proceeded to run through the courthouse complex, unimpeded, steal another firearm and shoot 3 more people, including long-time superior court judge Rowland Barnes, a revered judicial figure in the Atlanta area. Mr. Nichols managed to escape the courthouse and evade police for more than two days during which time he used the fire arms that he stole in the courthouse, injuring several more people, stole multiple vehicles and held one woman hostage before he was finally apprehended. Mr. Speaker, this episode highlights the merits of this bill not just because of the security failures that allowed it to happen. This much is self-evident. In the aftermath of the security failures at the Fulton County Courthouse, the entire Atlanta metropolitan area, an area of more than 4 million people, was on edge. Schools were put on lock down in several counties. If we had proper security measures in place on that fateful Friday morning, we could have avoided the hysteria and disruptions of normal life that followed. My constituents, the residents of the Atlanta area, and the law-abiding citizens of this great nation deserve the right to go about their daily lives knowing that our court rooms are secure. Therefore, I urge the passing of this bill and I yield back the balance of my time.