Washington, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) delivered the following opening remarks during a markup of H.R. 3713, legislation to amend current law to add Mount Vernon as a location where court shall be held in the Western District of Washington: 

“H.R. 3713 would amend current law to add Mount Vernon as a location where court shall be held in the Western District of Washington.  The bill would substantially reduce the time to travel to Federal Central Violations Bureau Proceedings—which handles tickets issued on federal property and payments for petty offenses committed on federal property—for residents of Skagit Island and Snohomish Counties. 

“H.R. 3713 is supported by the judges, the United States Attorney, and the Federal Public Defender of the Western District of Washington, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Skagit County Bar Association, and the Whatcom County Bar Association.  

“I applaud Representatives Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen for sponsoring this bill, and for working with the chief judge of the Western District of Washington to ensure that the bill reflects the input and support of a wide range of stakeholders, including the Federal Defender.   I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3713.”