 rates where competent local counsel are available.    United States Court of Appeals       for the Federal Circuit                __________________________     ASHBURN BYWATERS, CARL LANCASTER,  BETTY L. HOHENBERGER, ORMAN RODERICK,     JUNE RODERICK, AND NAN O. BEELER,              Plaintiffs-Appellants,                             v.                    UNITED STATES,                    Defendant-Appellee.                __________________________                         0000-0000                __________________________     Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in case no. 00-CV-0000, Judge Leonard 