[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5704-H5705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR HOLDING COURT

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 786) to amend title 28, United States Code, to provide an 
additional place for holding court for the Pecos Division of the 
Western District of Texas, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 786

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

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR HOLDING COURT.

       (a) Pecos Division of the Western District of Texas.--
     Section 124(d)(6) of title 28, United States Code, is 
     amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (7), by inserting 
     ``and Alpine'' after ``Pecos''.
       (b) 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 gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Cline) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 786.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, our courts and judicial system are the envy of the 
world.
  Americans rely on the Federal courts every day to protect their 
rights and obtain relief when those rights are violated.
  They also are the means by which we adjudicate claims that someone 
has violated our criminal laws.
  That is why improving and ensuring accessibility to the courts for 
our citizens is so important.
  This important bill adds just four words to the United States Code to 
save thousands of Americans in Texas and Washington lengthy and 
burdensome trips just to reach the nearest Federal courthouse.
  This bill authorizes the Federal courts in the Western District of 
Texas and the Western District of Washington to hold court in Alpine, 
Texas, and Mount Vernon, Washington, respectively.
  Both locations already have existing facilities necessary to hold 
court, so the cost of this bill is minimal.
  By authorizing these courts to utilize these locations, Congress will 
reduce administrative burdens on the court system and logistical 
burdens on those with business before these courts.
  For example, the Judicial Conference of the United States has noted 
that Americans in the Western District of Texas must drive as far as 
100 miles to reach the courthouse in Pecos, Texas.
  The Judicial Conference has identified similar hardships for 
Americans in the Western District of Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I urge 
my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 786.
  This legislation would amend title 28 of the United States Code to 
provide an additional place for holding court in the Western District 
of Texas and in the Western District of Washington. These additional 
courthouses are needed to better serve the 12.2 million people who call 
these two districts home.
  Both of these districts are comprised of wide areas of land. The 
Western District of Washington takes up half of Washington State. The 
Western District of Texas covers the western 68 counties of the State. 
Citizens of these two districts often need to travel for hours to 
access the courthouse doors.
  On paper, our basic rights do not change depending on where we live. 
In practice, that is exactly what is happening. It makes no sense that 
just because someone lives in a more rural, broader district, they 
should incur dramatically increased travel time and administrative 
costs to seek justice. Adding courthouses is a small step in the right 
direction toward making the courthouse doors accessible to all 
Americans no matter where they live.
  The Judicial Conference has recommended the addition of these two 
courthouses, a recommendation that grew even more urgent after the 
Western District of Washington's Bellingham facility had part of its 
roof collapse.
  This country cannot have a flourishing justice system when its 
buildings are falling apart, its staff are underpaid, and there is a 
perpetual shortage of judges to fairly administer the laws.
  This bill will not fix all of these problems, but it will take a 
small step to help millions of Americans gain equal access to justice. 
I think it is a step worth taking.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Tony Gonzales, Rick Larsen, and 
Suzan DelBene in the House, and Senators Cornyn, Murray, Cruz, and 
Cantwell in the Senate for working on a bipartisan basis to introduce 
this legislation to improve the lives of the residents of Texas and 
Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation makes a modest but important change to 
help improve access to justice for millions of Americans. I thank the 
sponsors, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. CLINE. 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 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cline) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 786.
  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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