Members of a House Judiciary subcommittee on Wednesday voiced strong support for allowing camera access to the federal courts as a needed step that will bring greater transparency to the judicial branch.

It would be a “tremendous boon” to open up the “machinery of government” to public attention, said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, at a hearing on a bill he introduced, HR 917, the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act, which would permit but not require broadcast access.