[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 22, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2983-H2984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
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.
[[Page H2984]]
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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