,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #higf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,decemb] #af1 #bjbj   
,mr4 ,danny ,k4 ,davis ( ,ill9ois       
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a ,,bill 
,to cl>ify access to c\rts ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates = p]sons seek+ r$ress = a        
violation ( a con/itutional "r by !     
,unit$ ,/ates or any ag5t1 p]son1 or    
entity act+ 9 ! "n ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & 
= o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is   
,act may be cit$ z ! ,access to !       
,am]ican ,c\rts ,act ( #bjbj4  #b4      
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,!
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,con/itution sets =?     
limits on ! ability ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to
 act4  7#b7 ,! ,con/itution w\ld n h be5
 adopt$ & !re=e ! ,unit$ ,/ates (       
,am]ica w\ld n h be5 =m$ or come into   
exi/5ce unless ! ,bill ( ,rights1 ! fir/
 #aj ,am5dm5ts to ! ,con/itution1 _h n  
be5 adopt$ prior to its approval by !   
fir/ #ac ,/ates =m+ ! ,unit$ ,/ates (   
,am]ica4  7#c7 ,! "r ( ! ,am]ican p to  

hold ! ,unit$ ,/ates acc\ntable =       
violations ( ! ,con/itution committ$ by 
p act+ alleg$ly 9 ! "n ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 has be5 ! corn]/one & b$rock ^u :i* !  
fre$om ( ! ,am]ican p has be5 bas$4     
7#d7 ,! "r ( ! ,am]ican p to come be=e a
 c\rt & seek r$ress & !reby hold !      
,gov]nm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates acc\ntable =
 violations ( ! ,con/itution is n[      
s]i\sly disput$4  7#e7 ,! ,executive    
,bran* ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t has  
ass]t$1 9 actions fil$ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 c\rts by ,am]icans seek+ r$ress =      
alleg$ ,con/itutional violations1 t no  
"o c sue ! ,gov]nm5t1 ev5 = a           
,con/itutional violation1 unless !      
,gov]nm5t fir/ agrees to be su$4 ,!     
,executive ,bran* has ass]t$ an ov]broad
 int]pretation ( ! ext5t ( sov]eign     
immunity1 :i* b>s suits aga9/ !         
,gov]nm5t bas$ on /atutory violations1  
to n[ include suits bas$ on             
,con/itutional violations z well4  7#f7 
,! effect ( ! ,executive ,bran*'s       
ext5sion ( sov]eign immunity s z to     

include con/itutional rights z well z   
/atutory rights w\ld be t--  7,a7 !     
,bill ( ,rights w\ld be conv]t$ to a m]e
 bill ( sugge/$ rights2 &  7,b7         
con/itutional rights w\ld be en=ceable  
only :5 & if ! ,gov]nm5t deigns to grant
 p]mission = _! individual en=cem5t on a
 case-by-case basis4  7#g7 ,! ,bill (   
,rights & ! o!r ,am5dm5ts to !          
,con/itution are n m]e sugge/ions1 b !  
inh]5t & en=ceable rights possess$ by   
all ,am]ican p4 ,^! ,am5dm5ts grant to  
all ,am]icans ! "r to seek r$ress =     
,con/itutional violations committ$ 9 !  
"n ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates )\t fir/ hav+ to   
obta9 ! p]mission ( ! ,gov]nm5t be=e    
seek+ su* r$ress 9 ,f$]al c\rt4  #c4    
,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (        
,congress t--  7#a7 all ,am]icans %\ld h
 access to ,f$]al c\rts 9 ord] to seek  
relief & r$ress = alleg$ claims (       
violations ( con/itutional rights2 &    
7#b7 ! doctr9e ( sov]eign immunity1 z   
well z any ass]tion ( any /atute (      
limitation or equitable la*es 7"u equity

 or /atute7 0 nev] int5d$ to b>1        
re/rict1 h9d] or o!rwise delay access to
 c\rt or ! fil+ ( a claim seek+ relief  
or r$ress aga9/ ! ,gov]nm5t = an alleg$ 
violation ( a con/itutional "r4  #d4    
,jurisdiction ( di/rict c\rts ,! di/rict
 c\rts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all h         
jurisdiction to he> any compla9t or     
claim = relief bas$ ^u an alleg$        
violation ( a con/itutional "r by !     
,unit$ ,/ates or any ag5t1 p]son or     
entity act+ 9 ! "n ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4   
,ea* su* c\rt has au?ority to grant any 
relief necess>y to r$ress a violation ( 
a con/itutional "r1 includ+ monet>y1    
injunctive1 & decl>atory relief4  #e4   
,"r to a jury trial ,a p]son fil+ an    
action 9 a di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$      
,/ates seek+ r$ress = a violation ( a   
con/itutional "r by ! ,unit$ ,/ates or  
any ag5t1 p]son1 or entity act+ 9 ! "n (
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all h ! "r to reque/ a
 jury trial4 ,9 ! case ( an action      
conta9+ bo? con/itutional &             
non-con/itutional claims aga9/ ! ,unit$ 

,/ates1 ! c\rt %all grant jury trial =  
all claims1 & %all grant a jury trial = 
! con/itutional claims4  #f4 ,attorney  
fees & co/s ,9 ! case t ! pla9tiff      
prevails 9 an action br\ght aga9/ !     
,unit$ ,/ates seek+ r$ress = a violation
 ( a con/itutional "r by ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 or any ag5t1 p]son1 or entity act+ 9 ! 
"n ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ! c\rt %all aw>d !
 pla9tiff attorney fees & co/s4