On the recordFebruary 28, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank Ranking Member Conyers, Courts Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble, Courts Ranking Member Cohen, and former Courts Subcommittee Chairman Hank Johnson for cosponsoring the bill. The Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act brings more clarity to the operation of jurisdictional statutes and facilitates the identification of the appropriate State or Federal court where actions should be brought. Judges believe the current rules force them to waste time determining jurisdictional issues at the expense of adjudicating underlying litigation. The contents of this bill are based on recommendations developed and approved by the United States Judicial Conference to address the judiciary's concerns. This legislation contains a number of revisions to Federal jurisdictional and venue law. Among the changes, the bill clarifies the definition of citizenship for foreign corporations and domestic corporations doing business abroad; separates the removal provisions governing civil cases and those governing criminal cases into two statutes; and creates a general venue statute that unifies the approach to venue in diversity and Federal question cases, while maintaining current venue standards. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support H.R. 394. I reserve the balance of my time.
