Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4419, the District of Columbia Judicial Financial Transparency Act, which was introduced by my colleague from the District of Columbia, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. H.R. 4419 would provide a more robust and open disclosure of judicial finances in the District. Currently, District judges are required to meet disclosure requirements that are less rigorous than those mandated for Federal judges. H.R. 4419 will help to close this disclosure gap. This bill will require judges to disclose sources of income for themselves and their spouses. This increased disclosure will help to strengthen an important pillar of our judicial system: the public's trust in an impartial judicial system. In order to ensure that those before the District's judicial system can be confident in its impartial nature, the bill also requires that the disclosures be made publicly available. The bill will require that disclosure reports be made available to the public for 3 years after they have been filed. H.R. 4419 will ensure compliance by making a failure to file or filing a fraudulent report an offense that is punishable by removal from office. This legislation will help to protect the public's faith in the integrity and impartiality of the District's judicial branch. H.R. 4419 is a good government bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”