Passed
378 Yea10 Nay42 Not voting2/3 required
S-32-119
Became Public Law No: 119-109.
Sponsored by Ted Cruz (R-TX)
What it does
This bill adds College Station, Texas as a location where the Southern District of Texas may hold court, and adds El Centro, California as a location where the Southern District of California may hold court. It makes no other changes to court jurisdiction, staffing, or procedures.
Who benefits
Residents, attorneys, and litigants in the College Station and El Centro areas who would gain a closer court location and avoid travel to more distant courthouses; local court staff and federal employees who may see facility use change.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully harmed; the change is administrative. Federal court administrators may face minor costs related to facility scheduling or logistics in the newly designated locations.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that designating these additional court locations improves access to justice by letting local residents and attorneys appear closer to home instead of traveling long distances to a distant courthouse. They contend this is a routine, low-cost administrative fix consistent with how Congress has periodically updated district court seating locations for decades.
Opponents argue
Opponents, to the extent any exist, might argue that adding court locations spreads judicial resources and staff across more sites without additional funding or judgeships, potentially straining existing court administration. They might also contend that such changes should follow a formal judicial conference recommendation rather than be added directly through legislation.
Constitutional context
Congress has authority under Article III, Section 1 and Article I, Section 8 to establish and organize the lower federal courts, including where district courts sit; this bill raises no significant constitutional question beyond that organizational authority.
Checks and balances
Congress exercises its Article III/Article I authority to organize federal court structure by statute; the judiciary implements the change administratively, with no shift in power between branches.
Historical precedent
Congress has periodically amended Title 28 to add or change district court sitting locations as population and caseloads shift.
Passed