Hank Johnson: “Mr. Speaker, the Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2010 makes a number of changes to increase the…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2010 makes a number of changes to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal courts. The House passed a substantially similar version of this legislation last October. H.R. 3632, which I introduced, was cosponsored by Chairman John Conyers, Ranking Member Lamar Smith, and Ranking Member Howard Coble of the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, which I also chair. S. 1782 would make a number of modest changes to the law and to the administrative operations of the Federal judiciary. First, it will fix a minor conflict in the law and make clear that senior judges with a reduced workload are permitted to participate in the selection of magistrate judges. Second, the bill incorporates a proposal supported by my friend and colleague from North Dakota, Earl Pomeroy, to place North Dakota in a single judicial district. This will allow for a more even distribution of the workloads of the Federal courts in North Dakota. Third, the bill makes some minor adjustments for criminal matters. It requires separating the Statement of Reason from other information relating to the case, enabling confidential information to be more carefully controlled and protected.”