[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 15, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1283]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUROR PAY PARITY ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 15, 2019

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of 
Columbia Juror Pay Parity Act to require that DC Superior Court jurors 
receive the same pay as federal jurors.
  Currently, Superior Court jurors are paid $40 per day, and, under the 
Home Rule Act, only the DC courts and Congress have the authority to 
increase Superior Court juror pay. My bill would require that Superior 
Court jurors receive the same pay as federal jurors.
  In the fiscal year 2018 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress 
increased federal juror pay to $50 per day, the first increase to 
federal juror pay in 28 years. My bill would give Superior Court jurors 
the same pay.
  Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government 
Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33), Congress took responsibility 
for paying for the DC courts and other state-like functions provide by 
DC. The DC courts, however, have always been under the control of 
Congress, even when they were funded by the District. The Home Rule Act 
prohibits the District government from enacting any law relating to 
Title 11 of the DC Code. Title 11 provides that the Board of Judges of 
the Superior Court sets juror pay, but that the pay may not exceed the 
pay of federal jurors. Therefore, this bill, or action by the DC 
courts, is necessary to increase Superior Court juror pay.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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