[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 108 (Monday, August 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUSTICE REFORM ACT OF 1993

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1631) to amend title 11, District of 
Columbia Code, to increase the maximum amount in controversy permitted 
for cases under the jurisdiction of the Small Claims and Conciliation 
Branch of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia with a Senate 
amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Clerk read the Senate amendment, as follows:

       Senate amendment: Page 1, line 5, strike out ``1993'' and 
     insert: ``1994''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to 
the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton].
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1631 is a noncontroversial measure. It 
raises from $2,000 to $5,000 the limit on cases which can be brought in 
small claims court in the District of Columbia. The House passed the 
bill on July 19, 1993. The Senate approved the measure on May 25, 1994. 
The Senate approved the measure on May 25, 1994. The only modification 
made by the Senate was technical, changing the date in the short title 
from 1993 to 1994.
  Mr. request is to concur in that amendment.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, once 
again I am happy to support H.R. 1631, the amended District of Columbia 
Justice Reform Act. We passed this act originally at the conclusion of 
the 102d Congress, but the Senate never had time or opportunity to act 
on it. The House unanimously passed H.R. 1631 on July 19, 1993. On May 
15, it was passed by voice vote in the Senate after being amended to 
change the date from 1993 to 1994.
  As amended, this bill will increase the jurisdictional maximum amount 
in controversy in small claims proceedings from $2,000 to $5,000. By 
increasing this amount, the number of cases on the D.C. Superior 
Court's civil docket will dramatically decrease. In fact, H.R. 1631 
would move approximately 5,000 to the 15,000 cases on the superior 
court's civil docket to the small claims court--resulting in a 35 
percent reduction in the superior court's civil docket. This reduction 
would free up valuable judicial resources, which are extremely 
important at this time, when the District of Columbia is financially 
strapped.
  I urge my colleagues to join me and make up lost time by passing this 
important legislation for the District's local judiciary.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton].
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the 
committee, the gentleman from California [Mr. Stark] and associate 
myself with the remarks of the ranking member.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
  There was no objection.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________