Frankel Announces House Committee Action in Support of New Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — At the request of Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee unanimously passed a resolution requiring the General Services Administration (GSA) to investigate the feasibility of constructing a new federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale and report back within the next four months.  This resolution is the first step towards building a much-needed new federal courthouse in Broward County. Click here to watch the Congresswoman’s full remarks in Committee in support of this resolution.

“Courthouses are one of the pillars of a functioning democracy, where justice is served and disputes are settled in an orderly fashion. The federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale has been substandard for more than a decade. I’m pleased that we’ve seen a bipartisan resolution by members of Congress to move towards a replacement,” said Frankel.

“I want to thank Congresswoman Lois Frankel for her leadership as we move one step closer to securing a new federal courthouse in Broward County. I stand ready to do all I can to help ensure that this becomes a reality,” said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20).

“I am thrilled that my friend and colleague Congresswoman Lois Frankel has secured the first step of a new federal courthouse in Broward County,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23). “The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s resolution, requiring GSA to conduct a feasibility study, is an encouraging step towards a new federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale.”

“We thank the Broward County Congressional Delegation and the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for their attention to this important issue,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler. “We’ve been waiting for over a decade for action and it’s great to see progress being made.”

The 40-year-old building currently serving as the central courthouse for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida lacks basic structural safeguards to protect judges and courtroom personnel. It also has been plagued by mold, chronic roof leaks, persistent flooding, and significant space constraints for many years. For these reasons, the Judicial Conference of the United States, the national policy-making body for the federal courts named Fort Lauderdale’s federal courthouse as most in need of replacement in the country.