of title 5 and chapter 84 of such title, a reporter shall
be considered a full-time employee during any pay period
for which a reporter receives a salary at the annual salary
rate fixed for a full-time reporter under the preceding sen-
tence.’’.
SEC. 306. COURT INTERPRETERS.
Section 1827 of title 28, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end thereof the following new
subsection:
‘‘(l) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec-
tion or section 1828, the presiding judicial officer may ap-
point a certified or otherwise qualified sign language inter-
preter to provide services to a party, witness, or other par-
ticipant in a judicial proceeding, whether or not the pro-
ceeding is instituted by the United States, if the presiding
judicial officer determines, on such officer’s own motion
or on the motion of a party or other participant in the
proceeding, that such individual suffers from a hearing
impairment. The presiding judicial officer shall, subject to
the availability of appropriated funds, approve the com-
pensation and expenses payable to sign language inter-
preters appointed under this subsection in accordance with
the schedule of fees prescribed by the Director under sub-
section (b)(3) of this section.’’.
SEC. 307. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATED TO COM-
MENCEMENT DATE OF TEMPORARY BANK-
RUPTCY JUDGESHIPS.
Section 3(b) of the Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of
1992 (Public Law 102–361; 106 Stat. 965; 28 U.S.C. 152
note) is amended in the first sentence by striking out
‘‘date of the enactment of this Act’’ and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘appointment date of the judge named to fill the
temporary judgeship position’’.
SEC. 308. CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR SENIOR JUDGES
UNDER THE JUDICIAL SURVIVORS’ ANNU-
ITIES SYSTEM.
Section 376(b)(1) of title 28, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b)(1) Every judicial official who files a written noti-
fication of his or her intention to come within the purview
of this section, in accordance with paragraph (1) of sub-
section (a) of this section, shall be deemed thereby to con-
sent and agree to having deducted and withheld from his
or her salary a sum equal to 2.2 percent of that salary,
and a sum equal to 3.5 percent of his or her retirement
salary. The deduction from any retirement salary—
‘‘(A) of a justice or judge of the United States
retired from regular active service under section
371(b) or section 372(a) of this title,
‘‘(B) of a judge of the United States Court of
Federal Claims retired under section 178 of this
title, or
‘‘(C) of a judicial official on recall under section
155(b), 373(c)(4), 375, or 636(h) of this title,
shall be an amount equal to 2.2 percent of retirement sal-
ary.’’.
TITLE IV—JUDICIAL FINANCIAL
ADMINISTRATION
SEC. 401. INCREASE IN CIVIL ACTION FILING FEE.
(a) FILING FEE INCREASE.—Section 1914(a) of title
28, United States Code, is amended by striking out
‘‘$120’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$150’’.
(b) DISPOSITION OF INCREASE.—Section 1931 of
title 28, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a) by striking out ‘‘$60’’ and
inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$90’’; and
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) by striking out ‘‘$120’’ and inserting
in lieu thereof ‘‘$150’’; and
(B) by striking out ‘‘$60’’ and inserting in
lieu thereof ‘‘$90’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 402. INTERPRETER PERFORMANCE EXAMINATION
FEES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1827(g) of title 28,
United States Code, is amended by redesignating para-
graph (5) as paragraph (6) and inserting after paragraph
(4) the following new paragraph:
‘‘(5) If the Director of the Administrative Office of
the United States Courts finds it necessary to develop and
administer criterion-referenced performance examinations
for purposes of certification of interpreters, or other ex-
aminations for the selection of otherwise qualified inter-
preters, the Director may prescribe for each examination
a uniform fee for applicants to take such examination. In
determining the rate of the fee for each examination, the
Director shall consider the fees charged by other organiza-
tions for examinations that are similar in scope or nature.
Notwithstanding section 3302(b) of title 31, the Director
is authorized to provide in any contract or agreement for
the development or administration of examinations and
the collection of fees that the contractor may retain all
or a portion of the fees in payment for the services. Not-
withstanding paragraph (6) of this subsection, all fees col-
lected after the effective date of this paragraph and not
retained by a contractor shall be deposited in the fund
established under section 1931 of this title and shall re-
main available until expended.’’.
(b) PAYMENT FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES.—Not-
withstanding sections 3302(b), 1341, and 1517 of title 31,
United States Code, the Director of the Administrative Of-
fice of the United States Courts may include in any con-
tract for the development or administration of examina-
tions for interpreters (including such a contract entered
into before the date of the enactment of this Act) a provi-
sion which permits the contractor to collect and retain fees
in payment for contractual services in accordance with sec-
tion 1827(g)(5) of title 28, United States Code.
SEC. 403. JUDICIAL PANEL ON MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 123 of title 28,
United States Code, is amended by adding after section
1931 the following new section:
‘‘§ 1932. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
‘‘The Judicial Conference of the United States shall
prescribe from time to time the fees and costs to be
charged and collected by the Judicial Panel on Multidis-
trict Litigation.’’.
(2) The table of sections for chapter 123 of title 28,
United States Code, is amended by adding after the item
relating to section 1931 the following:
‘‘1932. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.’’.
(b) RELATED FEES
FOR ACCESS
TO INFORMA-
TION.—Section 303(a) of the Judiciary Appropriations
Act, 1992 (Public Law 102–140; 105 Stat. 810; 28 U.S.C.
1913 note) is amended in the first sentence by striking
out ‘‘1926, and 1930’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘1926,
1930, and 1932’’.
SEC. 404. DISPOSITION OF FEES.
(a) DISPOSITION OF ATTORNEY ADMISSION FEES.—
For each fee collected for admission of an attorney to
practice, as prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the
United States pursuant to section 1914 of title 28, United
States Code, $30 of that portion of the fee exceeding $20
shall be deposited into the special fund of the Treasury
established under section 1931 of title 28, United States
Code. Any portion exceeding $5 of the fee for a duplicate
certificate of admission or certificate of good standing, as
prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States
pursuant to section 1914 of title 28, United States Code,
shall be deposited into the special fund of the Treasury
established under section 1931 of title 28, United States
Code.
(b) DISPOSITION OF BANKRUPTCY COMPLAINT FIL-
ING FEES.—For each fee collected for filing an adversary
complaint in a bankruptcy proceeding, as established in
Item 6 of the Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Sched-
ule prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United
States pursuant to section 1930(b) of title 28, United
States Code, the portion of the fee exceeding $120 shall
ior in commission and who has not served previously as
chief judge shall act as the chief judge.
‘‘(3)(A) Except as provided under subparagraph (C),
the chief judge serving under paragraph (1) shall serve
for a term of 7 years and shall serve after expiration of
such term until another judge is eligible under paragraph
(1) to serve as chief judge.
‘‘(B) Except as provided under subparagraph (C), a
judge of the court acting as chief judge under subpara-
graph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2) shall serve until a judge
meets the qualifications under paragraph (1).
‘‘(C) No judge of the court may serve or act as chief
judge of the court after attaining the age of 70 years un-
less no other judge is qualified to serve as chief judge
under paragraph (1) or is qualified to act as chief judge
under paragraph (2).
‘‘(b) The chief judge shall have precedence and pre-
side at any session of the court which such judge attends.
Other judges of the court shall have precedence and pre-
side according to the seniority of their commissions.
Judges whose commissions bear the same date shall have
precedence according to seniority in age.
‘‘(c) If the chief judge desires to be relieved of the
duties as chief judge while retaining active status as a
judge of the court, the chief judge may so certify to the
Chief Justice of the United States, and thereafter the
chief judge of the court shall be such other judge of the
court who is qualified to serve or act as chief judge under
subsection (a).
‘‘(d) If a chief judge is temporarily unable to perform
the duties as chief judge, such duties shall be performed
by the judge of the court in active service, able and quali-
fied to act, who is next in precedence.’’.
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
Chapter 11 of title 28, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in section 251 by striking out subsection (b)
and redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b);
(2) in section 253—
(A) by amending the section heading to
read as follows:
‘‘§ 253. Duties of chief judge’’;
and
(B) by striking out subsections (d) and (e);
and
(3) in the table of sections for chapter 11 of
title 28, United States Code—
(A) by amending the item relating to sec-
tion 253 to read as follows:
‘‘253. Duties of chief judge.’’;
and
(B) by adding at the end thereof the fol-
lowing:
‘‘258. Chief judges; precedence of judges.’’.
(c) APPLICATION.—(1) Notwithstanding the provi-
sions of section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code (as
added by subsection (a) of this section), the chief judge
of the United States Court of International Trade who is
in office on the day before the date of enactment of this
Act shall continue to be such chief judge on or after such
date until any one of the following events occurs:
(A) The chief judge is relieved of his duties
under section 258(c) of title 28, United States Code.
(B) The regular active status of the chief judge
is terminated.
(C) The chief judge attains the age of 70 years.
(D) The chief judge has served for a term of 7
years as chief judge.
(2) When the chief judge vacates the position of chief
judge under paragraph (1), the position of chief judge of
the Court of International Trade shall be filled in accord-
ance with section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code.
TITLE VI—PLACES OF HOLDING
COURT
SEC. 601. PLACE OF HOLDING COURT IN THE SOUTHERN
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
The last sentence of section 112(b) of title 28, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘Court for the Southern District shall be held at
New York, White Plains, and in the Middletown-
Wallkill area of Orange County or such nearby loca-
tion as may be deemed appropriate.’’.
SEC. 602. PLACE OF HOLDING COURT IN THE EASTERN DIS-
TRICT OF TEXAS.
(a) The second sentence of section 124(c)(3) of title
28, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘and
Plano’’ after ‘‘held at Sherman’’.
(b) Sections 83(b)(1) and 124(c)(6) of title 28,
United States Code, are each amended in the last sentence
by inserting before the period the following: ‘‘, and may
be held anywhere within the Federal courthouse in Tex-
arkana that is located astride the State line between Texas
and Arkansas’’.
TITLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 701. PARTICIPATION IN JUDICIAL GOVERNANCE AC-
TIVITIES BY DISTRICT, SENIOR, AND MAG-
ISTRATE JUDGES.
(a) JUDICIAL
CONFERENCE
OF
THE
UNITED
STATES.—Section 331 of title 28, United States Code, is
amended by striking out the second undesignated para-
graph and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘The district judge to be summoned from each judi-
cial circuit shall be chosen by the circuit and district
judges of the circuit and shall serve as a member of the
Judicial Conference of the United States for a term of
not less than 3 successive years nor more than 5 succes-
sive years, as established by majority vote of all circuit
and district judges of the circuit. A district judge serving
as a member of the Judicial Conference may be either a
judge in regular active service or a judge retired from reg-
ular active service under section 371(b) of this title.’’.
(b) BOARD OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL CENTER.—
Section 621 of title 28, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a) by striking out paragraph
(2) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘(2) two circuit judges, three district judges,
one bankruptcy judge, and one magistrate judge,
elected by vote of the members of the Judicial Con-
ference of the United States, except that any circuit
or district judge so elected may be either a judge in
regular active service or a judge retired from regular
active service under section 371(b) of this title but
shall not be a member of the Judicial Conference of
the United States; and’’; and
(2) in subsection (b) by striking out ‘‘retire-
ment,’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘retirement pur-
suant to section 371(a) or section 372(a) of this
title,’’.
SEC. 702. THE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AS OFFICERS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
Section 701 of title 28, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end thereof the following: ‘‘The
Director and Deputy Director shall be deemed to be offi-
cers for purposes of title 5, United States Code.’’.
SEC. 703. REMOVAL OF ACTION FROM STATE COURT.
Section 1446(c)(1) of title 28, United States Code,
is amended by striking out ‘‘petitioner’’ and inserting in
lieu thereof ‘‘defendant or defendants’’.
SEC. 704. FEDERAL JUDICIAL CENTER EMPLOYEE RETIRE-
MENT PROVISIONS.
Section 627(b) of title 28, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in the first sentence by inserting ‘‘Deputy
Director,’’ before ‘‘the professional staff’’; and
(2) in the first sentence by inserting ‘‘chapter
84 (relating to the Federal Employees’ Retirement
System),’’ after ‘‘(relating to civil service retire-
ment),’’.
SEC. 705. ABOLITION OF THE SPECIAL COURT, REGIONAL
RAIL REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1973.
(a) ABOLITION OF THE SPECIAL COURT.—Section
209 of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45
U.S.C. 719) is amended in subsection (b)—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Within 30 days
after’’; and
(2) by adding at the end thereof the following
new paragraph:
‘‘(2) The special court referred to in paragraph (1)
of this subsection is abolished effective 90 days after the
date of the enactment of the Federal Courts Improvement
Act of 1996. On such effective date, all jurisdiction and
other functions of the special court shall be assumed by
the United States District Court for the District of Colum-
bia. With respect to any proceedings that arise or continue
after the date on which the special court is abolished, the
references in the following provisions to the special court
established under this subsection shall be deemed to refer
to the United States District Court for the District of Co-
lumbia:
‘‘(A) Subsections (c), (e)(1), (e)(2), (f) and (g)
of this section.
‘‘(B) Sections 202 (d)(3), (g), 207 (a)(1),
(b)(1), (b)(2), 208(d)(2), 301 (e)(2), (g), (k)(3),
(k)(15), 303 (a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(1), (b)(6)(A), (c)(1),
(c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), 304 (a)(1)(B), (i)(3),
305 (c), (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3), (d)(4), (d)(5), (d)(8),
(e), (f)(1), (f)(2)(B), (f)(2)(D), (f)(2)(E), (f)(3), 306
(a), (b), (c)(4), and 601 (b)(3), (c) of this Act (45
U.S.C. 712 (d)(3), (g), 717 (a)(1), (b)(1), (b)(2),
718(d)(2), 741 (e)(2), (g), (k)(3), (k)(15), 743
(a)(1), (a)(2), (b)(1), (b)(6)(A), (c)(1), (c)(2),
(c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5), 744 (a)(1)(B), (i)(3), 745 (c),
(d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3), (d)(4), (d)(5), (d)(8), (e),
(f)(1), (f)(2)(B), (f)(2)(D), (f)(2)(E), (f)(3), 746 (a),
(b), (c)(4), 791 (b)(3), (c)).
‘‘(C) Sections 1152(a) and 1167(b) of the
Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 (45 U.S.C.
1105(a), 1115(a)).
‘‘(D) Sections 4023 (2)(A)(iii), (2)(B), (2)(C),
(3)(C), (3)(E), (4)(A) and 4025(b) of the Conrail
Privatization Act (45 U.S.C. 1323 (2)(A)(iii),
(2)(B), (2)(C), (3)(C), (3)(E), (4)(A), 1324(b)).
‘‘(E) Section 24907(b) of title 49, United
States Code.
‘‘(F) Any other Federal law (other than this
subsection and section 605 of the Federal Courts
Improvement Act of 1996), Executive order, rule,
regulation, delegation of authority, or document of
or relating to the special court as established under
paragraph (1) of this subsection.’’.
(b) APPELLATE REVIEW.—(1) Section 209(e) of the
Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 719)
is amended by striking out the paragraph following para-
graph (2) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘(3) An order or judgment of the United States Dis-
trict Court for the District of Columbia in any action re-
ferred to in this section shall be reviewable in accordance
with sections 1291, 1292, and 1294 of title 28, United
States Code.’’.
(2) Section 303 of the Regional Rail Reorganization
Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 743) is amended by striking out
subsection (d) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘(d) APPEAL.—An order or judgment entered by the
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or section 306
shall be reviewable in accordance with sections 1291,
1292, and 1294 of title 28, United States Code.’’.
(3) Section 1152 of the Northeast Rail Service Act
of 1981 (45 U.S.C. 1105) is amended by striking out sub-
section (b) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
‘‘(b) APPEAL.—An order or judgment of the United
States District Court for the District of Columbia in any
action referred to in this section shall be reviewable in ac-
cordance with sections 1291, 1292, and 1294 of title 28,
United States Code.’’.
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 209 of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act
of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 719) is amended—
(A) in subsection (g) by inserting ‘‘or the Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’’
after ‘‘Supreme Court’’; and
(B) by striking out subsection (h).
(2) Section 305(d)(4) of the Regional Rail Reorga-
nization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 745(d)) is amended by
striking out ‘‘a judge of the United States district court
with respect to such proceedings and such powers shall
include those of’’.
(3) Section 1135(a)(8) of the Northeast Rail Service
Act of 1981 (45 U.S.C. 1104(8)) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(8) ‘Special court’ means the judicial panel es-
tablished under section 209(b)(1) of the Regional
Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C.
719(b)(1)) or, with respect to any proceedings that
arise or continue after the panel is abolished pursu-
ant to section 209(b)(2) of such Act, the United
States District Court for the District of Columbia.’’.
(4) Section 1152 of the Northeast Rail Service Act
of 1981 (45 U.S.C. 1105) is further amended by striking
out subsection (d).
(d) PENDING CASES.—Effective 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, any case pending in
the special court established under section 209(b) of the
Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C.
719(b)) shall be assigned to the United States District
Court for the District of Columbia as though the case had
originally been filed in that court. The amendments made
by subsection (b) of this section shall not apply to any
final order or judgment entered by the special court for
which—
(1) a petition for writ of certiorari has been
filed before the date on which the special court is
abolished; or
(2) the time for filing a petition for writ of cer-
tiorari has not expired before that date.
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall take effect 90
days after the date of the enactment of this Act and, ex-
cept as provided in subsection (d), shall apply with respect
to proceedings that arise or continue on or after such ef-
fective date.
SEC. 706. EXCEPTION OF RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR
DISTRICT 
JUDGES 
APPOINTED 
TO 
THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT AND EASTERN DIS-
TRICT OF NEW YORK.
Section 134(b) of title 28, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘the Southern District of New
York, and the Eastern District of New York,’’ after
‘‘the District of Columbia,’’;
(2) by inserting ‘‘or she’’ after ‘‘he’’; and
(3) by inserting at the end the following: ‘‘Each
district judge of the Southern District of New York
and the Eastern District of New York may reside
within 20 miles of the district for which he or she
is appointed.’’.
SEC. 707. CIVIL JUSTICE EXPENSE AND DELAY REDUCTION
PLANS.
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF
ARBITRATION.—Section
473(a)(6)(B) of title 28, United States Code, is amended
by inserting ‘‘arbitration,’’ before ‘‘mediation’’.
(b) REPORT ON DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—Sec-
tion 104(d) of the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990 (28
U.S.C. 471 note) is amended by striking out ‘‘December
31, 1996,’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘June 30, 1997,’’.
(c) REPORT ON PILOT PROGRAM.—Section 105(c)(1)
of the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990 (28 U.S.C. 471
note) is amended by striking out ‘‘December 31, 1996,’’
and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘June 30, 1997,’’.
SEC. 708. EXTENSION OF ARBITRATION.
Section 905 of the Judicial Improvements and Access
to Justice Act (28 U.S.C. 651 note) is amended in the
first sentence by striking out ‘‘1997’’ and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘1998’’.
SEC. 709. VENUE FOR TERRITORIAL COURTS.
(a) CHANGE OF VENUE.—Section 1404(d) of title 28,
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(d) As used in this section, the term ‘district court’
includes the District Court of Guam, the District Court
for the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District Court
of the Virgin Islands, and the term ‘district’ includes the
territorial jurisdiction of each such court.’’.
(b) CURE
OR
WAIVER
OF
DEFECTS.—Section
1406(c) of title 28, United States Code, is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(c) As used in this section, the term ‘district court’
includes the District Court of Guam, the District Court
for the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District Court
of the Virgin Islands, and the term ‘district’ includes the
territorial jurisdiction of each such court.’’.
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this
section apply to cases pending on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and to cases commenced on or after such
date.
Æ