87 U.S. Chief Judges Appeal to Congress for Funding Help

Describing themselves as "the boots on the ground in our nation's federal trial courts," 87 chief U.S. District judges have sent a letter to Congressional leaders (pdf) stating that reduced funding and sequestration have "...forced us to slash our operations to the bone, and we believe that our constitutional duties, public safety, and the quality of the justice system will be profoundly compromised by any further cuts."

The letter was addressed to leadership of the Senate and House, as well as to the House and Senate Judiciary and Appropriations committees. Individual recipients included Vice President Joseph Biden, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).