[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 22, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8357-H8358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DIVISIONAL REALIGNMENT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS ACT OF 2019
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1123) to amend title 28, United States Code, to
modify the composition of the eastern judicial district of Arkansas,
and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1123
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 ``Divisional Realignment for
the Eastern District of Arkansas Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. REALIGNMENT OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS.
Section 83(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended
to read as follows:
``Eastern District
``(a) The Eastern District comprises three divisions.
``(1) The Central Division comprises the counties of
Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Dallas, Drew, Faulkner, Grant,
Jefferson, Lincoln, Lonoke, Perry, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski,
Saline, Stone, Van Buren, White, and Yell.
Court for the Central Division shall be held at Little Rock.
``(2) The Delta Division comprises the counties of
Arkansas, Chicot, Crittenden, Desha, Lee, Monroe, Phillips,
and St. Francis.
Court for the Delta Division shall be held at Helena.
[[Page H8358]]
``(3) The Northern Division comprises the counties of Clay,
Craighead, Cross, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard,
Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, Sharp,
and Woodruff.
Court for the Northern Division shall be held at
Jonesboro.''.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendment made by this Act shall take
effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Johnson) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Reschenthaler) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. 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 the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1123, which would amend current law to
reduce the number of operating divisions in the Eastern District of
Arkansas from five to three.
This legislation, introduced by Congressman Rick Crawford from
Arkansas, has the support of every member of the Arkansas congressional
delegation.
The bill was prompted by the closure in 2017 of the only Federal
courthouses in two of the divisions. The three new divisions created by
H.R. 1123 would align with the three remaining courthouses in that
district. The new divisional lines are based on caseload history and
travel times to the remaining courthouses.
As chairman of the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee with
jurisdiction over the courts, it is a priority of mine to ensure that
people across this Nation have ready access to the Federal judiciary.
In the context of a bill such as that under consideration here today,
I mean that in a very literal sense, ensuring that jurisdictional lines
are appropriately drawn so that those residing in their bounds are not
unduly burdened by travel time to a courthouse. But this must be
balanced against closing courthouses where resources are not being used
efficiently.
I am satisfied that such a balance has been achieved here, given the
support this bill has gotten from the Judicial Conference, the Judicial
Council of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit,
and the chief judge of the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this legislation and urge my
colleagues to support it as well, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1123, the Divisional
Realignment for the Eastern District of Arkansas Act of 2019,
introduced by my Republican colleague from Arkansas, Representative
Rick Crawford.
H.R. 1123 reduces the existing divisions in the Eastern District of
Arkansas from five to three, limiting the burden caused by two
courthouse closures. It allows the Eastern District of Arkansas to
better balance its caseload, account for geographical differences, and
align with the judicial work generated by correctional facilities.
H.R. 1123 is supported by the Judicial Conference, the Judicial
Council of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit,
the chief judge of the Eastern District of Arkansas, and all the
members of the Arkansas delegation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford), my good friend and the sponsor of this
measure.
{time} 1700
Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you it won't take 2 minutes to
say what I have to say.
I certainly want to thank each side of the aisle for supporting H.R.
1123, the Divisional Realignment for Eastern District of Arkansas Act
of 2019.
I want to thank Chairman Nadler and Ranking Member Collins for
marking up this important legislation.
Following the Federal Judiciary's efforts to reduce space, the
Federal courthouses in Batesville and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, were
closed. However, the Eastern District of Arkansas has been required to
maintain the organizational divisions mandated by the statute.
This bill simply corrects that disparity and reduces divisions in the
Eastern District from five to three, aligning divisions with remaining
courthouses.
The new districts have been carefully designed to maximize access to
justice, considering highway access, geography, and case load history.
I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
so that I can close.
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
I would just like to say that, again, I urge my colleagues to vote
``yes'' on H.R. 1123, the Divisional Realignment for the Eastern
District of Arkansas Act of 2019.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1123 is a straightforward
bill that better aligns the divisions of the Eastern District of
Arkansas with the current operations of that district, and so I urge my
colleagues to support the bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1123.
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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