Local Access to Courts Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 32) to clarify where court may be held for certain district courts in Texas and California.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 32

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Local Access to Courts Act'' or ``LACA''. SEC. 2. ORGANIZATION OF TEXAS DISTRICT COURTS.

Section 124(b)(2) of title 28, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (3), by inserting ``and College Station'' before the period at the end. SEC. 3. ORGANIZATION OF CALIFORNIA DISTRICT COURTS.

Section 84(d) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``and El Centro'' after ``at San Diego''.

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Mr. SCHMIDT. 32.

Mr. Speaker, local access to Federal courts is critical to ensuring the rights of the people are protected.

Under current law, the Southern District of Texas is divided into seven districts. The Houston Division comprises 13 counties but is only authorized to hold court in Houston. The Southern District of California comprises two counties, and the Court is only authorized to be held in the city of San Diego. Both of these judicial districts have experienced significant population growth in recent years, and their organization means that far too many Americans have to travel long distances for their day in court.

In both regions, Americans may have to travel as far as 100 miles or more just to reach the Federal courthouse. These distances place an unnecessary burden on those who need to access both the civil and criminal justice systems. I might say, Mr. Speaker, while I strongly support this legislation, 100 miles isn't very far to get to the Federal courthouse when you live in parts of my home State of Kansas.

The Local Access to Courts Act would help to alleviate the burden by adding an additional place in both judicial districts where the Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of California may hold court.

In the Southern District of Texas, S. 32 would add College Station to the list of places where court may be held. In the Southern District of California, this bill would add El Centro to the list of places where court may be held.

S. 32 would increase accessibility to our Federal courts for victims, jurors, civil parties, counsel, and the general public by sparing them from the burden of a multihour drive just to get to the nearest Federal courthouse.

S. 32 passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and I am glad to see that same bipartisan support in the House. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

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Mr. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, this legislation can make a positive difference for people accessing justice in southern California and in south Texas, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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