H.R. 394 — 112th Congress

Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011

Originated in the House · Introduced Jan 24, 2011 · Law

Latest action

Dec 7, 2011

Became Public Law No: 112-63.

CRS summary

As of Dec 7, 2011

Public Law

(This measure has not been amended since it was amended by the House on November 18, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011 - Title I: Jurisdictional Improvements - (Sec. 101) Amends the federal judicial code to declare that, with respect to diversity of citizenship, the U.S. district courts shall not have original jurisdiction of any civil action between citizens of a state and citizens or subjects of a foreign state who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States and are domiciled in the same state.

(Sec. 102) Modifies the citizenship rules to treat corporations as citizens of any foreign state: (1) by which it has been incorporated, and (2) where it has its principal place of business. Treats insurers as citizens of any foreign state: (1) of which the insured is a citizen, (2) by which the insurer has been incorporated, and (3) where the insurer has its principal place of business.

(Sec. 103) Separates the removal requirements governing civil cases and those governing criminal cases into two separate categories.

Declares that, upon removal of any civil action with both removable and nonremovable claims, the district court shall sever from the action all nonremovable claims and remand them to the state court from which the action was removed. Requires only defendants against whom a removable claim has been asserted to join in or consent to removal of the action.

Prescribes requirements for filing notices of removal, including assertion in the notice of the amount in controversy, when it exceeds the necessary amount, if the initial pleading seeks: (1) nonmonetary relief; or (2) a money judgment, but the state practice either does not permit demand for a specific sum or permits recovery of damages in excess of the amount demanded.

Allows removal of a case based on diversity of citizenship more than one year after commencement of the action if the district court finds that the plaintiff has acted in bad faith in order to prevent a defendant from removing the action.

Title II: Venue and Transfer Improvements - (Sec. 202) Revises general requirements for the scope of venue of civil actions. Requires the proper venue of any civil action brought in a U.S. district court to be determined without regard to whether the action is local or transitory in nature.

(Sec. 203) Repeals the "local action" rule that any civil action, of a local nature, involving property located in different districts in the same state, may be brought in any of such districts.

(Sec. 204) Allows a district court to transfer a civil action to any district or division to which all parties have consented.

Prohibits transfers from a U.S. district court to the District Court of Guam, the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands.

Congressional Research Service, via api.congress.gov (public domain)

Roll-call votes

1 on record

Feb 28, 2011 · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Full roll call

Passed (402–0)

85 of 432 recorded votes are not yet matched to a member profile.

Yea402: 184 R · 143 D · 1 L

MemberPartyState
DICKS, Norman DeValoisWA
BARTLETT, Roscoe GardnerMD
BOREN, Daniel DavidOK
CHANDLER, A. B.KY
CARDOZA, Dennis A.CA
WATT, Melvin L.NC
LEWIS, Charles JeremyCA
QUAYLE, BenAZ
BERMAN, Howard LawrenceCA
STARK, Fortney Hillman (Pete), Jr.CA
AKIN, W. ToddMO
JACKSON, Jesse L., Jr.IL
WEST, AllenFL
ROTHMAN, StevenNJ
REYES, SilvestreTX
BILBRAY, Brian P.CA
CLARKE, HansenMI
RICHARDSON, LauraCA
JOHNSON, Timothy V.IL
FRANK, BarneyMA
ADAMS, SandraFL
BASS, Charles FosterNH
MANZULLO, Donald A.IL
BUERKLE, Ann MarieNY
KUCINICH, DennisOH
BIGGERT, Judy BorgIL
McCOTTER, Thaddeus GeorgeMI
MILLER, BradNC
SULLIVAN, JohnOK
BERG, RickND
CANSECO, FranciscoTX
KISSELL, LarryNC
SCHMIDT, JeanOH
DREIER, David TimothyCA
BERKLEY, ShelleyNV
WOOLSEY, Lynn C.CA
CRAVAACK, ChipMN
CANTOR, EricVA
REHBERG, DennyMT
PAUL, Ronald ErnestTX
CRITZ, Mark S.PA
BACA, JoeCA
BOSWELL, Leonard L.IA
INSLEE, Jay RobertWA
PLATTS, ToddPA
STEARNS, Clifford BundyFL
MACK, Connie, IVFL
KILDEE, Dale EdwardMI
COSTELLO, Jerry FrancisIL
ACKERMAN, Gary LeonardNY
LANDRY, JeffLA
SUTTON, BettyOH
ROSS, Michael AveryAR
HAYWORTH, NanNY
WALSH, JoeIL
ALTMIRE, JasonPA
EMERSON, Jo AnnMO
MYRICK, SueNC
LUNGREN, Daniel EdwardCA
BURTON, Danny LeeIN
WEINER, Anthony D.NY
RIVERA, DavidFL
FILNER, BobCA
ANDREWS, Robert ErnestNJ
BONO, MaryCA
DAVIS, Geoffrey C.KY
HERGER, Walter WilliamCA
GALLEGLY, Elton W.CA
SCHILLING, BobbyIL
PENCE, MikeIN
OLVER, John WalterMA
GONZALEZ, Charles A.TX
AUSTRIA, SteveOH
BONNER, Jr., Josiah RobinsAL
Terri A. SewellDemocratAL
Ed PastorDemocratAZ
Adam B. SchiffDemocratCA
Anna G. EshooDemocratCA
Barbara LeeDemocratCA
Brad ShermanDemocratCA
Doris O. MatsuiDemocratCA
George MillerDemocratCA
Grace F. NapolitanoDemocratCA
Henry A. WaxmanDemocratCA
Jackie SpeierDemocratCA
Jerry McNerneyDemocratCA
Jim CostaDemocratCA
John GaramendiDemocratCA
Judy ChuDemocratCA
Karen BassDemocratCA
Linda T. SánchezDemocratCA
Lois CappsDemocratCA
Loretta SanchezDemocratCA
Lucille Roybal-AllardDemocratCA
Maxine WatersDemocratCA
Michael M. HondaDemocratCA
Mike ThompsonDemocratCA
Nancy PelosiDemocratCA
Sam FarrDemocratCA
Susan A. DavisDemocratCA
Xavier BecerraDemocratCA
Zoe LofgrenDemocratCA
Ed PerlmutterDemocratCO
Jared PolisDemocratCO
Christopher MurphyDemocratCT
James A. HimesDemocratCT
Joe CourtneyDemocratCT
John B. LarsonDemocratCT
Rosa L. DeLauroDemocratCT
John C. Carney Jr.DemocratDE
Alcee L. HastingsDemocratFL
Corrine BrownDemocratFL
Debbie Wasserman SchultzDemocratFL
Frederica S. WilsonDemocratFL
Theodore E. DeutchDemocratFL
David ScottDemocratGA
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.DemocratGA
John BarrowDemocratGA
John LewisDemocratGA
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.DemocratGA
Colleen HanabusaDemocratHI
Mazie K. HironoDemocratHI
Bruce L. BraleyDemocratIA
David LoebsackDemocratIA
Daniel LipinskiDemocratIL
Danny K. DavisDemocratIL
Janice D. SchakowskyDemocratIL
Mike QuigleyDemocratIL
André CarsonDemocratIN
Joe DonnellyDemocratIN
Peter J. ViscloskyDemocratIN
John A. YarmuthDemocratKY
Cedric L. RichmondDemocratLA
Edward J. MarkeyDemocratMA
James P. McGovernDemocratMA
John F. TierneyDemocratMA
Michael E. CapuanoDemocratMA
Niki TsongasDemocratMA
Richard E. NealDemocratMA
Stephen F. LynchDemocratMA
William R. KeatingDemocratMA
C. A. Dutch RuppersbergerDemocratMD
Chris Van HollenDemocratMD
Donna F. EdwardsDemocratMD
Elijah E. CummingsDemocratMD
John P. SarbanesDemocratMD
Steny H. HoyerDemocratMD
Chellie PingreeDemocratME
Michael H. MichaudDemocratME
Gary C. PetersDemocratMI
John Conyers, Jr.DemocratMI
John D. DingellDemocratMI
Sander M. LevinDemocratMI
Betty McCollumDemocratMN
Collin C. PetersonDemocratMN
Keith EllisonDemocratMN
Timothy J. WalzDemocratMN
Emanuel CleaverDemocratMO
Wm. Lacy ClayDemocratMO
Bennie G. ThompsonDemocratMS
David E. PriceDemocratNC
G. K. ButterfieldDemocratNC
Mike McIntyreDemocratNC
Albio SiresDemocratNJ
Bill Pascrell, Jr.DemocratNJ
Frank Pallone, Jr.DemocratNJ
Rush HoltDemocratNJ
Ben Ray LujánDemocratNM
Martin HeinrichDemocratNM
Brian HigginsDemocratNY
Carolyn B. MaloneyDemocratNY
Carolyn McCarthyDemocratNY
Charles B. RangelDemocratNY
Eliot L. EngelDemocratNY
Jerrold NadlerDemocratNY
José E. SerranoDemocratNY
Joseph CrowleyDemocratNY
Louise McIntosh SlaughterDemocratNY
Nita M. LoweyDemocratNY
Nydia M. VelázquezDemocratNY
Paul TonkoDemocratNY
Steve IsraelDemocratNY
Timothy H. BishopDemocratNY
William L. OwensDemocratNY
Yvette D. ClarkeDemocratNY
Marcia L. FudgeDemocratOH
Marcy KapturDemocratOH
Tim RyanDemocratOH
Earl BlumenauerDemocratOR
Kurt SchraderDemocratOR
Peter A. DeFazioDemocratOR
Allyson Y. SchwartzDemocratPA
Chaka FattahDemocratPA
Michael F. DoyleDemocratPA
Robert A. BradyDemocratPA
David N. CicillineDemocratRI
James R. LangevinDemocratRI
James E. ClyburnDemocratSC
Jim CooperDemocratTN
Steve CohenDemocratTN
Al GreenDemocratTX
Eddie Bernice JohnsonDemocratTX
Gene GreenDemocratTX
Henry CuellarDemocratTX
Lloyd DoggettDemocratTX
Sheila Jackson LeeDemocratTX
Jim MathesonDemocratUT
Gerald E. ConnollyDemocratVA
James P. MoranDemocratVA
Robert C. "Bobby" ScottDemocratVA
Peter WelchDemocratVT
Jim McDermottDemocratWA
Rick LarsenDemocratWA
Gwen MooreDemocratWI
Ron KindDemocratWI
Tammy BaldwinDemocratWI
Nick J. Rahall IIDemocratWV
Justin AmashLibertarianMI
Don YoungRepublicanAK
Martha RobyRepublicanAL
Mike RogersRepublicanAL
Mo BrooksRepublicanAL
Robert B. AderholtRepublicanAL
Spencer BachusRepublicanAL
Eric A. "Rick" CrawfordRepublicanAR
Steve WomackRepublicanAR
Tim GriffinRepublicanAR
David SchweikertRepublicanAZ
Jeff FlakeRepublicanAZ
Paul A. GosarRepublicanAZ
Trent FranksRepublicanAZ
Darrell IssaRepublicanCA
Devin NunesRepublicanCA
Duncan HunterRepublicanCA
Edward R. RoyceRepublicanCA
Gary G. MillerRepublicanCA
Howard P. "Buck" McKeonRepublicanCA
Jeff DenhamRepublicanCA
John CampbellRepublicanCA
Ken CalvertRepublicanCA
Kevin McCarthyRepublicanCA
Tom McClintockRepublicanCA
Cory GardnerRepublicanCO
Mike CoffmanRepublicanCO
Scott R. TiptonRepublicanCO
Ander CrenshawRepublicanFL
Bill PoseyRepublicanFL
Daniel WebsterRepublicanFL
Dennis A. RossRepublicanFL
Gus M. BilirakisRepublicanFL
Ileana Ros-LehtinenRepublicanFL
Jeff MillerRepublicanFL
John L. MicaRepublicanFL
Mario Diaz-BalartRepublicanFL
Richard B. NugentRepublicanFL
Steve Southerland IIRepublicanFL
Thomas J. RooneyRepublicanFL
Vern BuchananRepublicanFL
Austin ScottRepublicanGA
Lynn A. WestmorelandRepublicanGA
Paul C. BrounRepublicanGA
Phil GingreyRepublicanGA
Rob WoodallRepublicanGA
Tom GravesRepublicanGA
Tom PriceRepublicanGA
Steve KingRepublicanIA
Tom LathamRepublicanIA
Michael K. SimpsonRepublicanID
Raúl R. LabradorRepublicanID
Aaron SchockRepublicanIL
Adam KinzingerRepublicanIL
John ShimkusRepublicanIL
Peter J. RoskamRepublicanIL
Randy HultgrenRepublicanIL
Robert J. DoldRepublicanIL
Larry BucshonRepublicanIN
Marlin A. StutzmanRepublicanIN
Todd RokitaRepublicanIN
Todd YoungRepublicanIN
Kevin YoderRepublicanKS
Lynn JenkinsRepublicanKS
Mike PompeoRepublicanKS
Tim HuelskampRepublicanKS
Brett GuthrieRepublicanKY
Ed WhitfieldRepublicanKY
Harold RogersRepublicanKY
Bill CassidyRepublicanLA
Charles W. Boustany Jr.RepublicanLA
John FlemingRepublicanLA
Steve ScaliseRepublicanLA
Andy HarrisRepublicanMD
Bill HuizengaRepublicanMI
Candice S. MillerRepublicanMI
Dan BenishekRepublicanMI
Dave CampRepublicanMI
Fred UptonRepublicanMI
Mike RogersRepublicanMI
Erik PaulsenRepublicanMN
John KlineRepublicanMN
Michele BachmannRepublicanMN
Billy LongRepublicanMO
Blaine LuetkemeyerRepublicanMO
Sam GravesRepublicanMO
Vicky HartzlerRepublicanMO
Alan NunneleeRepublicanMS
Gregg HarperRepublicanMS
Steven M. PalazzoRepublicanMS
Howard CobleRepublicanNC
Patrick T. McHenryRepublicanNC
Renee L. EllmersRepublicanNC
Virginia FoxxRepublicanNC
Adrian SmithRepublicanNE
Jeff FortenberryRepublicanNE
Lee TerryRepublicanNE
Frank C. GuintaRepublicanNH
Christopher H. SmithRepublicanNJ
Frank A. LoBiondoRepublicanNJ
Jon RunyanRepublicanNJ
Leonard LanceRepublicanNJ
Rodney P. FrelinghuysenRepublicanNJ
Scott GarrettRepublicanNJ
Stevan PearceRepublicanNM
Dean HellerRepublicanNV
Joseph J. HeckRepublicanNV
Christopher P. GibsonRepublicanNY
Michael G. GrimmRepublicanNY
Peter T. KingRepublicanNY
Tom ReedRepublicanNY
Bill JohnsonRepublicanOH
Bob GibbsRepublicanOH
James B. RenacciRepublicanOH
Michael R. TurnerRepublicanOH
Robert E. LattaRepublicanOH
Steve ChabotRepublicanOH
Steve StiversRepublicanOH
Frank D. LucasRepublicanOK
James LankfordRepublicanOK
Tom ColeRepublicanOK
Greg WaldenRepublicanOR
Bill ShusterRepublicanPA
Charles W. DentRepublicanPA
Glenn ThompsonRepublicanPA
Jim GerlachRepublicanPA
Joseph R. PittsRepublicanPA
Lou BarlettaRepublicanPA
Michael G. FitzpatrickRepublicanPA
Mike KellyRepublicanPA
Patrick MeehanRepublicanPA
Tim MurphyRepublicanPA
Tom MarinoRepublicanPA
Jeff DuncanRepublicanSC
Joe WilsonRepublicanSC
Mick MulvaneyRepublicanSC
Tim ScottRepublicanSC
Trey GowdyRepublicanSC
Kristi L. NoemRepublicanSD
Charles J. "Chuck" FleischmannRepublicanTN
David P. RoeRepublicanTN
Diane BlackRepublicanTN
John J. Duncan, Jr.RepublicanTN
Marsha BlackburnRepublicanTN
Scott DesJarlaisRepublicanTN
Stephen Lee FincherRepublicanTN
Bill FloresRepublicanTX
Jeb HensarlingRepublicanTX
Joe BartonRepublicanTX
John Abney CulbersonRepublicanTX
John R. CarterRepublicanTX
K. Michael ConawayRepublicanTX
Kay GrangerRepublicanTX
Kevin BradyRepublicanTX
Lamar SmithRepublicanTX
Louie GohmertRepublicanTX
Mac ThornberryRepublicanTX
Michael C. BurgessRepublicanTX
Michael T. McCaulRepublicanTX
Pete OlsonRepublicanTX
Pete SessionsRepublicanTX
Ralph M. HallRepublicanTX
Randy NeugebauerRepublicanTX
Sam JohnsonRepublicanTX
Ted PoeRepublicanTX
Jason ChaffetzRepublicanUT
Rob BishopRepublicanUT
Bob GoodlatteRepublicanVA
E. Scott RigellRepublicanVA
Frank R. WolfRepublicanVA
H. Morgan GriffithRepublicanVA
Robert HurtRepublicanVA
Robert J. WittmanRepublicanVA
Cathy McMorris RodgersRepublicanWA
David G. ReichertRepublicanWA
Doc HastingsRepublicanWA
Jaime Herrera BeutlerRepublicanWA
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.RepublicanWI
Paul D. RyanRepublicanWI
Reid J. RibbleRepublicanWI
Sean P. DuffyRepublicanWI
Thomas E. PetriRepublicanWI
David B. McKinleyRepublicanWV
Shelley Moore CapitoRepublicanWV
Cynthia M. LummisRepublicanWY

Not Voting30: 11 R · 8 D

MemberPartyState
LaTOURETTE, Steven C.OH
ALEXANDER, RodneyLA
SHULER, HeathNC
TOWNS, EdolphusNY
HINCHEY, Maurice DunleaNY
YOUNG, Charles WilliamFL
WU, DavidOR
HOLDEN, Thomas TimothyPA
CARNAHAN, RussMO
GIFFORDS, GabrielleAZ
PAYNE, Donald MilfordNJ
Raúl M. GrijalvaDemocratAZ
Diana DeGetteDemocratCO
Kathy CastorDemocratFL
Bobby L. RushDemocratIL
Luis V. GutiérrezDemocratIL
Gregory W. MeeksDemocratNY
Rubén HinojosaDemocratTX
Adam SmithDemocratWA
Dana RohrabacherRepublicanCA
Doug LambornRepublicanCO
Jack KingstonRepublicanGA
Tim WalbergRepublicanMI
Walter B. JonesRepublicanNC
Richard L. HannaRepublicanNY
Jim JordanRepublicanOH
Patrick J. TiberiRepublicanOH
Blake FarentholdRepublicanTX
Kenny MarchantRepublicanTX
J. Randy ForbesRepublicanVA

Member pages currently show roll-call votes from the 119th Congress only. The “Member pages” column marks votes from that congress.