 | NEWS RELEASE Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts |
| February 3, 1999 | Contact: Beth Grabo |
| NEWS RELEASE Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts |
| February 3, 1999 | Contact: Beth Grabo |
| Lack of Funding Jeopardizes Federal Courthouse Construction
On February 1, President Clinton submitted a fiscal year 2000 budget to Congress that contains no funding for federal courthouse construction projects. This is the third consecutive year that the Administration has failed to request General Services Administration (GSA) funds for this purpose, jeopardizing current and future construction projects and forcing courts to continue operating in facilities that are unsafe, overcrowded, and substandard. "There is no question that these new courthouses are needed," said Leonidas Ralph Mecham, Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. "The failure to provide funds should concern not only United States judges, but lawyers, litigants, jurors, witnesses, and other courthouse users." Delayed funding of scheduled courthouse projects will result in significant cost increases. The GSA estimates that construction costs increase an average of 3-4 percent for each year of delay, and the cost of scarce urban sites is expected to increase dramatically. The absence of funds will not only delay the fiscal year 2000 courthouse plan for at least a full year, but will adversely impact all courthouse projects in the coming years. The workload of the federal courts has grown tremendously over the past 10 to 15 years, largely as a result of legislative efforts to wage a federal war on crime and the illegal drug trade. As the criminal caseload has grown in number and complexity, civil jurisdiction of the federal courts has broadened and the number of bankruptcy filings also has risen substantially. The number of judges and court employees has grown to meet the needs of a rapidly growing caseload, but court facilities have not always kept pace. Many of the existing court facilities were built over 50 years ago and have not or cannot be altered to meet the needs of a modern day justice system. Courthouse structures of yesterday cannot accommodate the technological advancements that are being made today. Security for jurors, witnesses, court employees, judges, and the visiting public is compromised as they pass through the hallways and ride in elevators with individuals who have been charged with or convicted of serious crimes. "The older courthouse structures cannot provide the necessary security features to ensure that judges, court personnel, and the public are safe when they visit courthouses," says Mecham. "Without the necessary funding, the federal Judiciary will continue to face overwhelming space and security concerns." This is the third time in past three years that the federal courthouse construction program has been threatened. Courthouse funds were not included in the President's budget requests to Congress in FY98 or in FY99. Despite the Judiciary's appeal to Congress, FY98 courthouse projects did not receive funding. In response to the Judiciary's plea for funding in FY99, Congress appropriated funds to continue the courthouse construction program.
Courthouse Projects Not Included in the President's FY 2000 Budget Request
Los Angeles, California
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