Norton Applauds Passage in Committee of Bill to Strengthen Local Justice System in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) thanked House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (OGR) Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) for working with her today to unanimously pass out of committee Senator Ron Johnson's (R-WI) bill to modernize and improve the daily operations of the District of Columbia Courts, the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA). Norton said she believes that she can get this bill, which has already passed the Senate, to the House floor and to President Obama's desk to be signed. The 1997 Revitalization Act transferred the costs and operations of some state functions, including these three agencies, from D.C. to the federal government. Norton introduced the same version of the bill last Congress and the House passed it by voice vote. All of the provisions in the bill are technical, but they have real effects. The bill would authorize CSOSA to use incentives-based programs for offenders, instead of only sanctions to get compliance; allow PDS to accept and use public grants, voluntary and uncompensated services, such as unpaid law clerks and interns and private contributions made to advance PDS's work; and allow the courts to collect debts owed by its employees to the courts.

"I thank Chairman Chaffetz and my OGR colleagues for taking up Senator Johnson's bipartisan bill to improve the District of Columbia's justice system," Norton said. "All that is left now is a vote on the House floor and the President's signature. I will work closely with him to that end."