Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5502, a bill to amend the implementation date of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. I would like to thank Rep. Maffei for introducing this bill to correct and improve H.R. 627. This amendment would change certain parts of Title IV of H.R. 627 passed by Congress on May 22, 2009. Due to the timing of the date of implementation of new rules and those already preparing for the holiday season, as well as the technical disclosure requirements set forth in the CARD Act, lots of gift cards already made and distributed will be in violation of the CARD Act disclosure provisions. Instead of requiring that the disclosure provisions be implemented, in August, 2010, 15 months after the bill's passing, the amendment would extend this date to January 31, 2011. A reasonable transition period is necessary for small businesses to avoid high costs by reissuing prepaid cards and destroying already-made and shelved cards. This bill will help countless Americans, including many who live in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia, by preventing the implementation of burdensome rules which could disrupt the use of gift cards. Passing this bill will remove an unintended obstacle to the use of gift cards and will ensure that consumers have the ability to use their gift cards as they choose. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 1409, designating June 20, 2010 as ``American Eagle Day,'' in recognition of the recovery of the American bald eagle from near extinction in the1960s. The bald eagle, our national bird, is a majestic animal and its symbolic importance in many aspects of United States history and government makes it richly deserving of celebration. Although an estimated 500,000 bald eagles lived in North America in the 1700s, only 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles remained in the lower 48 states by 1963. This was an abhorrent environmental tragedy and a blow to the national psyche. Thankfully, due to dedicated conservation efforts over the last 40 years, the bald eagle was officially removed from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in 2007, and its total population is now more than 100,000. The full recovery of the bald eagle from the threat of extinction in the U.S. is a source of inspiration to those who hope to conserve wildlife and save endangered species. Furthermore, I applaud the use of funds from the sale of bald eagle commemorative coins to continue rebuilding the bald eagle population and raising awareness of the bald eagle. My hope is that, with the support of Congress, the bald eagle need never again face neglect, and will continue to be celebrated by future generations. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my great honor to welcome our guest chaplain, Bishop Miles E. Fowler, to the House of Representatives, and I thank him for offering his beautiful and thoughtful prayer to us this morning. Bishop Miles E. Fowler joins us today from Lithonia, Georgia, where he is the pastor of Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist Church, a position he has proudly held for the past 33 years. Having served our Nation in the Air Force Reserve from 1957 to 1965, Bishop Fowler has since committed his life to the betterment of our country and its citizens through his ministry. As a pastor to more than 1,500 parishioners and a spiritual leader to more than 30 ministers under the auspices of Refuge Churches, his aim, personally and through his ministry, has always been to provide aid, assistance, and spiritual support in every aspect of our community. As a committed husband, father, and grandfather--and his wife and some relatives are seated up in the gallery--Bishop Fowler recognizes the importance of family and has published two insightful works providing spiritual guidance for married couples. Madam Speaker, I am pleased Bishop Fowler was able to share some of his words of wisdom and grace with us today. We recognize him for his continued commitment to his faith and community.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, the accomplishments of many start with the works and words of one; and Whereas, Dr. Darron T. Smith has given of himself for many years in the field of education as a student, professor, editor and lecturer; and Whereas, upon obtaining his doctorate degree with emphasis in the Sociology of Race, Education, Theory, Social Problems, Race & Ethnic Minority Relations; and Whereas, Dr. Darron T. Smith is serving our country honorably as one of few African American men who have decided to enter into the field of education as a Ph.D., to teach our future and enhance our present while never forgetting our past. Dr. Smith is sharing his time and talents for the betterment of our community and our nation through his tireless works, words of encouragement and inspiration that have been and continue to be a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Dr. Darron T. Smith on his achievement of earning his Ph.D., from the University of Utah, May 7, 2010, and to congratulate him as he provides a much needed service to educate and enlighten our future for the betterment of our great nation; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 15, 2010, as Dr. Darron T. Smith Day in the 4th Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, there are many individuals who are called to contribute to the needs of our community through leadership and service; and Whereas, Ms. Alma Gammage has given of herself as an educator of E.L. Bouie, Sr., Elementary Theme school, a daughter, a mother and friend; and Whereas, Ms. Gammage has been chosen as this year's Teacher of the Year, representing E.L. Bouie Elementary school; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents for the betterment of our community and our nation through her tireless works, motivational speeches and words of wisdom; and Whereas, Ms. Gammage is a virtuous woman, a courageous woman and a fearless leader who has shared with the world her vision and passion to help ensure that our future, our children, receive an education that is relevant for today, but also for the future; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Alma Gammage for her leadership and service for our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim April 23, 2010, as Ms. Alma Gammage Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one man, who has given of himself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, Charles Roland ``Buddy'' Hughes' work is present in DeKalb County, Georgia for all to see, being an advocate for the youth, the elderly, the poor and ordinary citizens like you and me; and Whereas, this giant of a man thought there was never an issue that was too tall; he would protest, picket, march and speak out against injustice, because he knew that in order to have a better community it would take us all; and Whereas, this remarkable man gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life; he never asked for fame or fortune to uplift those in need, he just wanted to do what was right and when he committed to doing something his actions would cut like a knife; and Whereas, Buddy Hughes was a husband, a father, a son, a brother and a friend; he was our warrior, our general, a man of great integrity who remained true to the uplifting of our community until his end; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow an honorable mention and recognition on Charles Roland ``Buddy'' Hughes for his leadership, friendship and service to all of the citizens in Georgia and throughout the world; a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby attest to the 111th Congress that Charles Roland ``Buddy'' Hughes of DeKalb County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honorable Mention'': Mr. Charles Roland ``Buddy'' Hughes, U.S. Citizen of Distinction, in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, since its founding, the Rockdale County Democratic Party has been and continues to be a worthy instrument for good; and Whereas, the second annual black tie Gala is being held to celebrate community service and honor excellence in government, business, education and health; and Whereas, the Rockdale County Democratic Party has always promoted the concept of One Community-One Goal by working with and for individuals of all walks of life to make Rockdale County a place where openness is seen as well as heard; and Whereas, its members give of themselves tirelessly and unconditionally to serve our community through projects such as voter registration, health walks, mentorships and scholarships; and Whereas, the lives of many in our district are touched by the leadership and service given by the members of the Rockdale County Democratic Party, our nation and the world is a better place due to their commitment to excellence in all of their endeavors; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize their outstanding service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim April 24, 2010, as Rockdale County Democratic Party Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, in 1931 a virtuous woman of God was born and today we gather to pay tribute for her life's work; and Whereas, Elizabeth Brown Wilson, not only talked the talk, but she walked the walk as it related to community service for all the citizens in our district; and Whereas, Elizabeth Brown Wilson has served our district well as a commissioner for the city of Decatur, an advocate and activist for seniors and as mayor of the City of Decatur, being the first African American woman to serve as mayor; and Whereas, this wise elder and woman of God has shared her time and talents for the betterment of her community and her nation through her tireless works, words of encouragement and inspiration that have been and continue to be a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Elizabeth Brown Wilson for her outstanding leadership and service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 22, 2010, as Elizabeth Brown Wilson Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, Bishop William L. Sheals is celebrating 30 years in pastoral leadership this year and has provided stellar leadership to his church on an international level; and Whereas, Bishop William L. Sheals, under the guidance of God, has pioneered and sustained Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the hungry and is a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Bishop William L. Sheals is a spiritual warrior, a man of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all a visionary who has shared not only with his Church, but with our district and the world his passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Bishop William L. Sheals as he celebrates 30 years in pastoral leadership; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 16, 2010, as Bishop William L. Sheals Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, DeKalb County serves as home for many of our Veterans that have served in the United States Military; and Whereas, the day-to-day operations of our government on a local, state and federal level impact the lives of our Veterans either directly or indirectly; and Whereas, our beloved county continues to rely on the wisdom and suggestions from the DeKalb County Veterans Affairs Advisory Board members to address concerns and issues of our military community; and Whereas, this unique board has given of themselves tirelessly and unconditionally to preserve integrity, advocate for our enlisted service personnel and veterans; and Whereas, the DeKalb County Veterans Affairs Advisory Board continues to serve our county by being involved in the planning, organizing and conducting of ceremonies that commemorate and recognize those who served our country in the United States military; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the DeKalb County Veterans Affairs Advisory Board for their outstanding service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 24, 2010, as DeKalb County Veterans Affairs Advisory Board Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, the DeKalb County Police and Sheriff Departments have been and continue to be the public safety departments for citizens throughout DeKalb County; and Whereas, Major Jeffery K. Cato has given of himself for the past 26 years as a law enforcement officer for the citizens of DeKalb County and has given exceptionable and distinguished service to our citizens by providing guidance, protection and leadership; and Whereas, Major Jeffery K. Cato is a proven leader and decorated officer with a heart of a lion and the spirit of an angel; and Whereas, Major Cato is retiring from his career in DeKalb County, he will begin a new career as Chief of Police in West Point, Georgia; and Whereas, DeKalb County is proud to have been served by Major Jeffery K. Cato, who gave of himself daily without any need for praise and fame, he has always served valiantly and honorably, a modern day knight; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Major Jeffery K. Cato for his outstanding leadership and service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 29, 2010, as Major Jeffery K. Cato Day in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, in the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, there are many individuals who are called to contribute to the needs of our community through leadership and service; and Whereas, Ms. Melody Oliver has given of herself as an educator of E.L. Bouie, Sr., Elementary Theme school; and Whereas, Ms. Oliver makes learning fun, inspirational, motivational, but most of all achievable; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents for the betterment of our community and our nation through her tireless works, motivational speeches and words of wisdom; and Whereas, Ms. Oliver is a virtuous woman, a courageous woman and a fearless leader who has shared with the world her vision and passion to help ensure that our future, our children, receive an education that is relevant for today, but also for the future; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Melody Oliver for her outstanding leadership and service; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 20, 2010, as Ms. Melody Oliver Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker: Whereas, Fairfield Baptist Church has been and continues to be a beacon of light to our county for the past 125 years; and Whereas, Pastor Micheal Benton and the members of the Fairfield Baptist Church family today continue to uplift and inspire those in our county; and Whereas, the Fairfield Baptist Church family has been and continues to be a place where citizens are touched spiritually, mentally and physically through outreach ministries and community partnership to aid in building up our district; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious Church of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the needy and empowered our community for the past 125 years by preaching the gospel, singing the gospel and living the gospel; and Whereas, Fairfield has produced many spiritual warriors, people of compassion, people of great courage, fearless leaders and servants to all, but most of all visionaries who have shared not only with their Church, but with DeKalb County and the world their passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the Fairfield Baptist Church family on their 125th Anniversary and for their leadership and service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 16, 2010, as Fairfield Baptist Church Day in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues about where we are today and where we were under the dreadful 8-year Bush administration. At the end of that administration, we were losing 800,000 jobs every month, and today we are on track to create more jobs this year than were created during all 8 years of the last administration. Say it again? I will. At the end of the last administration, 800,000 jobs were being lost each month, and we are on track this year to create more jobs than were created during all 8 years of the previous administration. According to the Council of Economic Advisers, the Recovery Act has boosted employment in my State, Georgia, by 84,000 jobs. It's like that, and that's the way it is.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, Whereas, The dRream Center Church of Atlanta has been and continues to be a beacon of light to our county for ther past four years; and Whereas, Pastor William H. Murphy, III and the members of the dReam Church family today continues to uplift and inspire those in our community; and Whereas, The dReam Church family has been and continues to be a place where citizens are touched spiritually, mentally and physically through outreach ministries and community partnership to aid in building up our District; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious Church of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the needy and empowered our community for the past four (4) years by preaching the gospel, teaching the gospel and living the gospel; and Whereas, The dReam Center Church has produced many spiritual warriors, people of compassion, people of great courage, fearless leaders and servants to all, but most of all visionaries who have shared not only with their Church, but with DeKalb County and the world their passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the dReam Center Church family for their leadership and service to our District on this the 4th Anniversary of their founding; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 16, 2010 as, The dReam Center Church Day, in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 16th day of May, 2010.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, Whereas, our lives have been touched the life of this one man . . . who has given of himself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, Deputy Brian Lamar Mahaffey has served five years in the Rockdale County Sheriff Department and gave his life in the line of duty; and Whereas, this giant of a man thought there was never a job too small or too big; he would provide professional service with the intention to always serve and protect our community; and Whereas, this remarkable man gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life; he never asked for fame or fortune to uplift those in need, he just wanted to do what was right and he was committed to protecting and serving the citizens of Rockdale County; and Whereas, Deputy Mahaffey was a husband, a father, a son, a brother and a friend; he was our warrior, a man of great integrity who remained true to the uplifting and service of our community until his end; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow an honorable mention and recognition on Deputy Brian Lamar Mahaffey of the Rockdale County Sheriff Department for his leadership, friendship and service to all of the citizens in Georgia; a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 111th Congress that Deputy Brian Lamar Mahaffey of Rockdale County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honorable Mention''; Deputy Brian Lamar Mahaffey, U.S. Citizen of Distinction, in the 4th Congressional District; Proclaimed, This 12th day of May, 2010.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce legislation that extends expiring provisions of the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 and reviews its efficacy. I am pleased to have as cosponsor of this bill the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, John Conyers, Jr. ACPERA promotes the detection and prosecution of illegal cartel behavior by giving participants in a price-fixing cartel powerful incentives to report the cartel to the Justice Department and cooperate in its prosecution. Cartel violations are some of the worst crimes perpetrated on the American consumer, yet they are too often crimes we cannot see, as all the criminal activity takes place in secret meetings behind closed doors. Price-fixing cartels can go undetected for years, possibly forever. With hundreds of millions (or even billions) of dollars worth of unlawful profits at stake, these criminal cartels are very effective at finding ways to keep their actions secret. In August 1993, the Department of Justice Antitrust Division revised its corporate leniency program. Designed to destabilize these cartels, the program offered amnesty from criminal prosecution for companies and their executives involved in these conspiracies if they were the first of the conspirators (and not the ringleader) to reach out to the DOJ's Antitrust Division and fully cooperate with its criminal investigation. But there was still a disincentive for cartel participants to come forward, because they remained liable for treble damages and joint and several liability in accompanying civil litigation. Five years ago, Congress gave the Justice Department's Antitrust Division a new weapon to attack this disincentive head-on. ACPERA addressed this shortcoming in the leniency program by also limiting the cooperating party's exposure to liability in related civil litigation. ACPERA empowers the Justice Department to limit the civil liability of a cooperating party to single damages. The remaining co- conspirators, however, remain jointly and severally liable for all damages. In this way, the Act strikes a carefully-crafted balance, encouraging the cartel members to turn on each other, while ensuring full compensation to the victims. The positive impact of this law cannot be overstated. ACPERA aided the Antitrust Division in obtaining just over $1 billion in criminal fines in Fiscal Year 2009. Last year, confronted with the expiration of key provisions of ACPERA, I sponsored a bipartisan 1-year extension of the statute. We solicited input from a number of parties, including the Department of Justice, the American Bar Association, noted academics such as William Kovacic, and representatives of civil litigants, leniency applicants, and cartel whistleblowers. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, I want to ensure that the Justice Department has all the tools it needs to continue its excellent work protecting consumers against price-fixing cartels. During this process, I heard a number of suggestions for how to improve ACPERA's effectiveness. The legislation I introduce today incorporates a number of these suggestions, and also commissions the Government Accountability Office to perform a 1-year study to examine several others. Again, I thank Chairman Conyers for joining me as cosponsor of this important legislation, and I look forward to working with our colleagues in the other body to reauthorize this very important program.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution honors the Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina. This historic courthouse was recently destroyed by a fire on March 25, 2010. It took more than 100 courageous firefighters to put out the blaze. The town of Pittsboro, population around 3,000, has many important historical attractions. These include numerous 19th century buildings, an old-fashioned soda shop on the main street, and a number of antique stores. And for over 100 years, Chatham County Courthouse stood in the middle of town. The courthouse was originally built in 1881 and was restored in 1991 to its original appearance. Local residents regarded the courthouse as the heart of the county and as a symbol of their community. This resolution expresses our condolences to the town of Pittsboro and all of Chatham County, North Carolina, for their loss of this historic and significant building, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price) for such time as he may consume.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2010 makes a number of changes to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal courts. The House passed a substantially similar version of this legislation last October. H.R. 3632, which I introduced, was cosponsored by Chairman John Conyers, Ranking Member Lamar Smith, and Ranking Member Howard Coble of the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, which I also chair. S. 1782 would make a number of modest changes to the law and to the administrative operations of the Federal judiciary. First, it will fix a minor conflict in the law and make clear that senior judges with a reduced workload are permitted to participate in the selection of magistrate judges. Second, the bill incorporates a proposal supported by my friend and colleague from North Dakota, Earl Pomeroy, to place North Dakota in a single judicial district. This will allow for a more even distribution of the workloads of the Federal courts in North Dakota. Third, the bill makes some minor adjustments for criminal matters. It requires separating the Statement of Reason from other information relating to the case, enabling confidential information to be more carefully controlled and protected. The bill also clarifies the scope and authority of Federal Pretrial Service officers to supervise and assist juveniles awaiting delinquency disposition in Federal court as an alternative to incarceration. Further, the bill adjusts the deadline for both State and Federal judges to file their wiretap totals with the Administrative Office of the Courts so that the annual wiretap report to Congress is accurate and does not later require a later addendum. Finally, the bill increases the statutory amount that can be paid for experts without requiring approval by the chief judge. This raises the current threshold to accurately reflect the impact of inflation. While I strongly support passage of the Senate bill, I note that some provisions in the House bill are not included in this bill. For example, the House bill would have adjusted the disability requirement and cost-of-living annuities of four territorial judges, thereby reducing existing inequities between them and other term judges such as magistrate and bankruptcy judges. The House bill would have changed the annual lead limit for the judicial branch and adjusted the pay scale. Finally, the House bill would have allowed four Federal Judicial Center Division directors to receive a salary commensurate with their responsibilities and on par with similar AO personnel. I intend to introduce new legislation that will include these provisions from my version of the Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act, but let me be clear that passage of the legislation before us today is an important step to improving our Federal judiciary and helping it function in the most efficient way. This legislation is bipartisan and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate under unanimous consent and has the full backing of the Judicial Conference. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1782) to provide improvements for the operations of the Federal courts, and for other purposes.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4614) to amend part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for incentive payments under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program for States to implement minimum and enhanced DNA collection processes, as amended.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how many further speakers the floor manager has remaining?