Following the introduction of the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), which would allow cameras and live broadcasts in federal courtrooms, including the Supreme Court, FTC executive director Gabe Roth issued the following statement:

Rep. King and his co-sponsors should be commended for recognizing that our entire country will benefit from improved media access to our federal courtrooms, including the Supreme Court. Virtually every American will want to bear witness to monumental cases – like upcoming oral arguments at the Supreme Court on the Affordable Care Act, the death penalty and same-sex marriage – but in practice very few are able to actually watch the events unfold. Congress should move quickly to pass this bill and help usher in an era of transparency in the courts in which all Americans can witness historic legal debates.

Recent polling from McLaughlin & Associates and Democracy Corps found widespread support for cameras in the Supreme Court, with more than 70 percent of Americans across partisan lines supporting the introduction of cameras.