U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine are pushing for specific safety upgrades at the Danville Courthouse and the Walter E. Hoffman U.S. Courthouse in Norfolk, both of which currently suffer from serious security vulnerabilities.

In their letter to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) the senators wrote: “We share the concerns of the judges of the Western District and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in that the inability to make substantial improvements could lead to the closure of the Danville court division, further impeding the judiciary’s already constrained ability to serve the community. To that end, we support the U.S. Marshal Service’s efforts in utilizing available space in the building for security improvements. It is critical that the federal judiciary maintains its presence in Danville and that it is able to do so in a safe and functioning space.”

In July, Kaine visited the Danville Courthouse to tour the building and to learn more about the security challenges the courthouse experiences.