Sonny Bono: “As one of my first official acts I am very proud to rise today to support the bill under consideration, the Judicial…”

“As one of my first official acts I am very proud to rise today to support the bill under consideration, the Judicial Reform Act of 1997. This is a very good bill, and among its important provisions is one of special significance to the voters of my district, of my State and to myself. Section 2 of the bill reflects the bill, H.R. 1170, which was my late husband's first piece of legislation in Congress and which passed this House last Congress. This is a simple but long overdue measure that will protect the franchise of democracy. This provision, as my colleagues already know, establishes a three-judge panel to review the constitutionality of voter-passed initiatives. When a single Federal judge can block the will of the people for years at a time, that is one of the most antidemocratic features of our legal system. For the voters of California and other States that have initiatives, justice is delayed, and thus it is denied.”