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REDEFINING EASTERN AND MIDDLE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS OF NORTH CAROLINA
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1340) to amend title 28, United States Code, to redefine the eastern and middle judicial districts of North Carolina.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1340
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. JUDICIAL DISTRICTS OF NORTH CAROLINA.
(a) In General.--Section 113 of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``and Wilson and'' and inserting ``Wilson, those portions of Hoke, Moore, Scotland, and Richmond counties encompassing the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Camp Mackall, and''; and
(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) Middle District.--The Middle District comprises the counties of Alamance, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Durham (excluding that portion of Durham County encompassing the Federal Correctional Institution, Butner, North Carolina), Forsyth, Guilford, Hoke (excluding that portion of Hoke County encompassing the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Camp Mackall), Lee, Montgomery, Moore
(excluding that portion of Moore County encompassing the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Camp Mackall), Orange, Person, Randolph, Richmond (excluding that portion of Richmond County encompassing the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Camp Mackall), Rockingham, Rowan, Scotland (excluding that portion of Scotland County encompassing the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Camp Mackall), Stanly, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin.''.
(b) Application.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall not apply to any action commenced or pending in any judicial district of North Carolina before the date of enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Bishop) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
General Leave
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1340.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1340 would redefine the boundaries of the middle and eastern districts of North Carolina to place Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall, a sub-installation of Fort Bragg located roughly 40 miles away, entirely within the eastern district, a very smart and instructive decision.
After having been introduced by both Senators from North Carolina, S. 1340 passed the Senate last week. H.R. 2746, the identical House companion to S. 1340, which recently passed the Judiciary Committee, was introduced by a friend and colleague, Congresswoman Ross, and Congressman Hudson and was cosponsored by every member of the North Carolina House delegation.
This is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will improve the administration of justice in North Carolina.
Currently, even though Fort Bragg sits on the outskirts of Fayetteville, which is in the eastern district, the base straddles both judicial districts. The result of this split means that a Federal case arising on one part of Fort Bragg will be heard at the Fayetteville courthouse, which is roughly 20 minutes away, while a case arising on another part of the base could be heard at courthouses more than 2 hours away.
The logistical difficulties resulting from Fort Bragg's split jurisdiction can extend beyond the inconvenience of unnecessarily long travel times. In criminal cases, for example, courts have had difficulty ensuring that defendants have received notice of their rights. S. 1340 will fix that and fix it now.
I want to thank Ms. Ross for her bipartisan work on this issue and for her enormous leadership in championing this legislation in the House.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this bill. I urge my colleagues to support it as well, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1340 will improve judicial economy by redefining the judicial districts of my home State of North Carolina.
Fort Bragg, which is located in North Carolina, is one of the U.S. Army's largest military installations. It spans six counties and is approximately 250 square miles large. Fort Bragg is located in two judicial districts, the middle district and the eastern district of North Carolina. This has led to inconvenience for both defendants and the courts system.
S. 1340 redefines the judicial districts so that Fort Bragg and a sub-installation, Camp Mackall, are located in a single judicial district, the eastern district. This change will streamline and improve judicial administration and efficiency.
I want to thank Senator Tillis and Senator Burr for their work on this bill. I also want to thank the former member from North Carolina, Mr. Holding. And I also want to thank my law school classmate, Representative Ross, for sponsoring and the rest of the North Carolina delegation for joining me in cosponsoring the House companion, H.R. 2746.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Ross), who is the House sponsor of this very important legislation.
Ms. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today also to highlight this critical bill that will help North Carolinians.
This commonsense legislation will revise North Carolina's judicial district lines to place Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world, entirely within the eastern district. Currently, the district lines bisect the base, resulting in unnecessary administrative and logistical problems for the people of our State.
This legislation will ease the burden of traveling miles to Durham, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem and, instead, let servicemembers resolve court matters in nearby Fayetteville or Raleigh. A similar redistricting occurred several years ago when Congress moved Butner into the eastern district.
This bipartisan piece of legislation will benefit our servicemembers and their families.
I am honored to work with my North Carolina colleagues, Congressman Hudson, Senator Tillis, and Senator Burr, my colleague from law school class, and the entire delegation to get this bill across the finish line. I am pleased it passed out of the Senate, and I look forward to passing it in the House and having it signed into law by the President.
Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this is sensible and prudent to the administration of justice in my home State.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, this is a good day on the floor of the House. S. 1340 will improve the administration of justice in the Federal courts of North Carolina.
This is not only a bipartisan, bicameral effort, but it is also evidence of Republicans and Democrats working together for the uplifting of justice.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of Representative Ross in bringing this bill forward, and I hope all of my colleagues will enthusiastically support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1340 would redefine the boundaries of the Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina to place Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall (a sub-installation of Fort Bragg located roughly 40 miles away) entirely within the Eastern District.
After having been introduced by both Senators from North Carolina, S. 1340 passed the Senate last week. H.R. 2746, the identical House companion to S. 1340, which recently passed the Judiciary Committee, was introduced by Congresswoman Ross and Congressman Hudson and was cosponsored by every member of the North Carolina House Delegation.
This is bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will improve the administration of justice in North Carolina.
Currently, even though Fort Bragg sits on the outskirts of Fayetteville, which is in the Eastern District, the base straddles both judicial districts.
The result of this split means that a federal case arising on one part of Fort Bragg will be heard at the Fayetteville courthouse, which is roughly 20 minutes away, while a case arising on another part of the base could be heard at courthouses more than two hours away. The logistical difficulties resulting from Fort Bragg's split jurisdiction can extend beyond the inconvenience of unnecessarily long travel times--in criminal cases, for example, courts have had difficulty ensuring that defendants have received notice of their rights. S. 1340 will fix that.
I want to thank Ms. Ross for her bipartisan work on this issue, and for championing this legislation in the House. I am pleased to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.
Mr. Speaker, S. 1340 will improve the administration of justice in the federal courts in North Carolina.
I appreciate the leadership of Representative Ross in bringing this bill forward, and I hope all my colleagues will support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 1340.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion are postponed.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 108
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