Political Quotes

“I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 1379 would grant the District of Columbia courts and Public Defender Service greater administrative flexibility in several areas. First, it authorizes the D.C. Superior Court and the Court of Appeals to hold judicial conferences either annually or biennially, eliminating the current mandate that they always hold such conferences each and every year. It requires magistrate judges to attend these judicial conferences. It authorizes the D.C. courts to delay judicial deadlines in certain emergency situations such as a natural disaster. It also allows the D.C. courts to be reimbursed by the D.C. government for certain office expenses, and it gives the D.C. Public Defender Service authority to purchase liability insurance for its attorneys, and changes the term for family court judges from 5 years to 3 years. Nearly identical legislation was approved unanimously by the House in the 111th Congress. There is no expected cost associated with the legislation. I would like to thank Senator Akaka for sponsoring this bill and guiding its passage in the other body. I would also like to thank our colleague, Ms. Norton, for her work in getting this legislation to the floor today. She cares passionately about D.C. and has nothing but its best interests at heart. We listen to that, we hear that, and in part, because of that, we support this legislation and encourage our colleagues to do the same.…”