[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 22 (Friday, March 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BREAUX:
  S. 1729. A bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to create two 
divisions in the Eastern Judicial District of Louisiana; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.


           eastern judicial district of louisiana legislation

  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
amend Title 28 of the U.S. Code to create two divisions in the Eastern 
Judicial District of Louisiana: a New Orleans Division, which would be 
comprised of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, Saint 
Charles, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, and 
Washington Parishes; and a Houma Division, which would be comprised of 
Terrebonnne, Lafourche, Saint James, and Assumption Parishes.
  It has long been recognized that there is a distinct need for a 
permanent United States District Court Judge in Houma, Louisiana. The 
Houma-Thibodaux metropolitan area is the fourth largest in Louisiana, 
and the area is growing by leaps and bounds, due in no small part to a 
revitalized oil and gas industry. With this increase in population and 
commercial activity, the number of court cases filed in the area will 
likewise grow.
  This inevitable increase in litigation will mean that an increasing 
number of people from the Houma-Thibodaux area will be forced to travel 
to New Orleans to appear in federal district court. This is a 
difficult, congested, and time-consuming trip. Also, many of the rural 
areas in the Eastern Judicial District have easier access to Houma than 
they do to New Orleans. Because of these factors, it makes sense to 
provide residents of the Houma-Thibodaux area and the surrounding, 
rural areas access to a federal district court closer to home.
  A brand new federal courthouse already exists for this very purpose. 
The George M. Arceneaux Federal Courthouse in Houma, Louisiana, was 
dedicated for use by the United States District Court for the Eastern 
District of Louisiana. Unfortunately, this new courthouse is not being 
used as originally intended. Judges have difficulty making the trip 
from New Orleans to Houma. As a result, Houma area residents must 
travel to New Orleans and the new courthouse remains severely under-
used.
  It is for these reasons, Mr. President, that I offer this legislation 
today. I also want to note that the Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, 
Saint James, and 29th Judicial District Court Bar Associations have all 
passed resolutions expressing their support for this legislation. 
Furthermore, the bill contains language to ensure that neither pending 
cases nor summoned, impaneled, or actually serving juries will be 
affected by the change. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting 
the passage of this bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1729

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CREATION OF TWO DIVISIONS.

       Section 98(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(a) The Eastern District comprises two divisions.
       ``(1) The New Orleans Division comprises the parishes of 
     Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, Saint 
     Charles, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, 
     and Washington.
       ``Court for the New Orleans Division shall be held at New 
     Orleans.
       ``(2) The Houma Division comprises the parishes of 
     Assumption, Lafourche, Saint James, and Terrebonne.
       ``Court for the Houma Division shall be held at Houma.''.

     SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       (a) In General.--This Act and the amendments made by this 
     Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (b) Pending Cases Not Affected.--This Act and the 
     amendments made by this Act shall not affect any action 
     commenced before the effective date of this Act and pending 
     on such date in the United States District Court for the 
     Eastern District of Louisiana or in the United States 
     District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
       (c) Juries Not Affected.--This Act and the amendments made 
     by this Act shall not affect the composition, or preclude the 
     service, of any grand or petit jury summoned, impaneled, or 
     actually serving on the effective date of this Act.
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