Hank Johnson: “And I rise in support of H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012, as amended. This noncontroversial measure…”

“And I rise in support of H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012, as amended. This noncontroversial measure, which the Judiciary Committee ordered reported by voice vote, simply reorganizes divisions within the two Federal judicial districts, namely the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Mississippi. I hope I pronounced ``Missourah'' correctly. Some say ``Missourah,'' some say ``Missouri.'' I'll stick with ``Missourah'' right now--I'm feeling kind of down home. This divisional realignment is being done at the request of these two districts to improve judicial administration and access to court for jurors and litigants. These proposals were formally adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States on March 13, 2012, and transmitted to the House Judiciary Committee. According to the Judicial Conference, these changes are supported by the judicial councils of the circuits in which these districts are located, as well as the United States Attorneys for the affected districts. Under H.R. 5512, two counties in the Eastern District of Missouri will be shifted from its Eastern Division to its Southeastern Division. The bill also eliminates one of the four divisions within the Northern District of Mississippi and reallocates the counties within the eliminated division among the remaining three divisions.…”