Jim Sensenbrenner: “Today when I was driving in, I followed a car that had a big bumper sticker on it that said ``Don't Mess with Texas,''…”

“Today when I was driving in, I followed a car that had a big bumper sticker on it that said ``Don't Mess with Texas,'' and I came to the House today with great fear and trepidation that by messing with Texas and deciding where the Federal courts will sit, I would be caught in the crossfire of a Texas cat fight, and I am happy to report that the cats are purring and the Members can mess with Texas and not get in trouble by passing this bill. Senate 1720 implements the March, 1991, Judicial Conference proposal to designate Plano, Texas, as a place for holding court in the Eastern District of Texas. It also realigns the divisions of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to reflect the closing of the courthouse in Denton County. The Paris division is eliminated and its counties redistributed among the other divisions of this court. Plano is the largest city in the Eastern District of Texas. Of the 93 judicial districts in the United States, the Eastern District of Texas is the only one in which its largest city cannot hold Federal court. This is a major impediment to the efficient operations of the Federal court system in the Eastern District of Texas. Senate 1720 will greatly assist the affected citizens, litigants, lawyers, and judges and also will promote the efficient administration of justice.”