[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7930-H7931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AMENDING TITLE 28, UNITED STATES CODE, PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL PLACE 
        FOR HOLDING COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 3034) to amend title 28, United States Code, to provide 
an additional place for holding court for the Western District of 
Washington, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3034

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

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL PLACE FOR HOLDING COURT FOR THE WESTERN 
                   DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON.

       Section 128(b) of title 28, United States Code, is amended 
     by inserting ``Mount Vernon,'' after ``Tacoma,''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Fitzgerald) 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 H.R. 3034.
  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.

[[Page H7931]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3034 which would amend title 
28 of the U.S. Code to provide an additional place for holding court in 
the Western District of Washington.
  This one-sentence bill would allow the residents of that district 
which is comprised of half of Washington State from the Cascade 
Mountains to the Pacific Ocean to attend Federal Court in Mount Vernon, 
Washington, halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border.
  Currently, residents of the surrounding counties, including the third 
most populous county in the State, have to travel significant distances 
to access the Federal justice system leading to increased travel time 
and administrative costs. Adding Mount Vernon as an additional court 
location would alleviate those burdens. It would also be a cost-free 
change because there is an existing facility available for the court to 
use, and no court personnel would be permanently stationed there. 
Making use of this existing facility would ensure that litigants, 
attorneys, witnesses, and other court users would have greater access 
to the justice that our Federal courts provide.
  Mr. Speaker, the Judiciary Committee is the holder, protector, and 
nurturer of the Constitution. There is probably nothing as important 
among other elements but for the right to a trial by jury or right to 
be heard as a litigant in a court. This important legislation is 
suggesting that those who may have difficulty or are even deprived 
because of distance or other issues dealing with the far reaches of 
where this court is away from them can now have unfettered access to 
court in their region, in their area.
  This move will benefit the many individuals who live, work, and do 
business in northwest Washington which is very far from the present 
site of the Federal Court. This legislation is broadly supported by the 
judges, attorneys, prosecutors, public defenders, and law enforcement 
in the Western District of Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen for 
calling attention to this issue and for introducing this legislation to 
improve the lives of the residents of Washington State. Chairman Nadler 
and all of the members of the Judiciary Committee were very pleased to 
work with this legislation, and Congresswoman DelBene and Congressman 
Larsen to be able to make this fix to provide an additional pathway of 
justice and the protection of the constitutional rights of individuals 
to have their access to courts and to trials by jury.
  At this point, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. Speaker, it appears that this bill has wide, 
bipartisan support among Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to 
support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is good music and good sounds to hear my colleague 
indicating that this legislation has widespread support, and he is 
absolutely right.
  The only point that I would want to emphasize is that whenever this 
body and this Judiciary Committee can expand the rights to the 
protection of Americans and their rights to access justice, we should 
stand tall.
  Today, this legislation, with a small fix of providing an additional 
site for the people of western Washington to access their 
constitutional, judicial, and legal rights, I think this is a 
celebration. So because of the broad support for this, we are 
delighted.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 3034, and make known that it is a 
straightforward bill that will improve the administration of justice in 
Washington State and will reinforce our duty and responsibility to the 
American people for justice.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3034, which would amend title 
28 of the U.S. Code to provide an additional place for holding court in 
the Western District of Washington.
  This one-sentence bill would allow residents of that district, which 
comprises half of Washington state--from the Cascade Mountains to the 
Pacific Ocean--to attend federal court in Mount Vernon, Washington, 
halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border.
  Currently, residents of the surrounding counties, including the third 
most-populous county in the state, have to travel significant distances 
to access the federal justice system, leading to increased travel time 
and administrative costs. Adding Mount Vernon as an additional court 
location would alleviate those burdens. It would also be a cost-free 
change because there is an existing facility available for the court to 
use, and no court personnel would be permanently stationed there.
  Making use of this existing facility would ensure that litigants, 
attorneys, witnesses, and other court users would have greater access 
to the justice that our federal courts provide.
  This move will benefit the many individuals who live, work, and do 
business in Northwest Washington, and this legislation is broadly 
supported by the judges, attorneys, prosecutors, public defenders, and 
law enforcement in the Western District of Washington.
  I thank Representatives Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen for calling 
attention to this issue and for introducing this legislation to improve 
the lives of the residents of Washington state.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3034 is a straightforward bill that will improve 
the administration of justice in Washington State. I urge my colleagues 
to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and 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, H.R. 3034.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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