House Proceeding 03-31-09 on Mar 31st, 2009 :: 0:08:30 to 0:13:55
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0:08:29 to 0:08:49( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: valuable insight into the functions of federal legislators. at this time, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. lungren: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognize. mr. lungren: i rise today in support of h.r. 151, over the

0:08:30 to 0:13:55( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Zoe Lofgren

0:08:50 to 0:09:11( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: last several years, i've joined my colleague, ms. lofgren, from california, in sponsoring this bill. this is a bill which would create a congressional clerkship program to qualified law school graduates to serve for temporary one-year terms in offices of the house and senate. the genesis of this actually

0:09:12 to 0:09:33( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: was the dean of thetanford law school, when he came on a visit back here and spoke to ms. lofgren and myself and others and explained that he thought that with the prominence that judicial clerkships are given, that most

0:09:34 to 0:09:54( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: aspiring outstanding law students look to the judicial branch and even with t clerkships available and fellowships available in the executive branch, look to those two branches of government as somehow the epitome of government service and that in a sense what that does is it confers a sense of importance

0:09:55 to 0:10:17( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: on those two branches of government, at least in my judgmentthe exclusion of the legislative branch. the waour system works, many outstanding young people who serve clerkships in -- to judges go on to be judges themselves. and the idea of the dean of the stanford law school was that if

0:10:18 to 0:10:39( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: we had a similar taped program -- type program in the legislative branch perhaps we would have some of these people who go on to receive judgeships that they would have a better understanding of the importance of the legislative branch. currently both judicial and legislative branches have

0:10:40 to 0:11:01( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: clerkship programs that get these graduates. they provide practical and legal advice. 12 clerks per congress will be selected to serve in chairs and ranking members. it would be on a competitive basis, be on a bipartisan basis, and in a bicameral basis.

0:11:02 to 0:11:22( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: not only will congressional clerks gain knowledge about the legislative process but they would then move into other leadership positions, not only with the courts, but with the major law firms throughout the country and in other positions bringing that understanding of the workings of congress to bear on those careers. i thank chairman brady for

0:11:23 to 0:11:43( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: considering this bill, the expeditious way in which it was handled. i thank the speaker for scheduling it so quickly, and i believe that this will truly provide an opportunity for some of the most gifted young legal minds to serve in congress and thereby increase the understanding of its work by the public, and i would reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance

0:11:44 to 0:12:04( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: of his time. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania. mr. brady: mr. speaker, i yield to my colleague, the gentleman from california, ms. zoe lofgren, as much time as she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. lofgren: i'd like to thank myolleague, my fellow attorney, my fellow californian, the former attorney general for california, congressman dan

0:12:05 to 0:12:26( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: lungren, for joining with me in introducing this bill first in the 109th congress and then again working to get the bill on the floor in the 110th and now once again in the 111th congress. and i am grateful to chairman brady for moving this bill so promptly. i think starting this early perhaps will get this all the

0:12:27 to 0:12:48( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: way through the senate and over to the president and accomplish something that's really quite important for the legislative branch. as has been mentioned, top law graduates from the top law schools in the nation seek clerkships in the judicial branch and sometimes in the executive branch, but we don't have that here in the

0:12:49 to 0:13:11( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: legislative branch. and he's right. we do owe some gratitude to dean larry kramer for promosing this idea. here's what dean kramer said, and i quote, this bill will serve an important role by educating young lawyers and future leaders of the profession about the legislative process. it will be enormously beneficial for both the

0:13:12 to 0:13:34( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: profession and the public as some of the brightest young lawyers begin in the legislature and so develop and convey to the public an appreciation of congress and the legislative process equal course and the judicial process. this really isn't about getting work out of these bright young lawyers. it's about starting them off on

0:13:35 to 0:13:56( Edit History Discussion )

Zoe Lofgren: the right course and having the respect for article 1 that we hope that they will get by working with us here in the congress. we believe that this bipartisan bill that will be bicameral, bipartisan will make a difference not today, not tomorrow but 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years