,i  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #fdgb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #ba1        
#bjbb,mr4 ,morelle 7for himself1 ,mrs4  
,fischbach1 and ,mr4 ,bacon7 introduced 
the following bill2 which was referred  
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to amend title #ah1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to provide for video     
teleconferencing for certain criminal   
proceedings1 and for other purposes4    
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,courtroom ,videoconferencing   
,act of #bjbb4  #b4 ,sense of ,congress 
,it is the sense of ,congress that--    
7#a7 it is important to modernize       
,federal courts to allow for            
videoconferencing in certain criminal   
proceedings1 which flexibility ,congress
 authorized under the ,,cares ,act1     
which provided for such an option at the
 discretion of the chief judge of a     
district court during the national      
emergency associated with the           
,,covid-#ai pandemic2  7#b7 the         

efficiency and expediency gained from   
the flexibility authorized under the    
,,cares ,act should be made permanent2  
and  7#c7 such an option should not     
impede constitutional rights1 but expand
 and protect them during times when     
meeting together may be difficult and   
inefficient4  #c4 ,video                
teleconferencing for certain criminal   
proceedings  7a7 ,in general ,chapter   
#bja of title #ah1 ,united ,states      
,code1 is amended by inserting after    
section #cjad the following new section3
  #cjae4 ,video teleconferencing for    
certain criminal proceedings  7a7 ,in   
general ,the chief judge of a district  
court may authorize the use of video    
teleconferencing1 or telephone          
conferencing if video teleconferencing  
is not reasonably available1 for the    
following events3 7#a7 ,detention       
hearings under section #cadb of title   
#ah1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#b7       
,initial appearances under ,rule #e of  
the ,federal ,rules of ,criminal        

,procedure4  7#c7 ,preliminary hearings 
under ,rule #e4a of the ,federal ,rules 
of ,criminal ,procedure4  7#d7 ,waivers 
of indictment under ,rule #g7;b7 of the 
,federal ,rules of ,criminal ,procedure4
  7#e7 ,arraignments under ,rule #aj of 
the ,federal ,rules of ,criminal        
,procedure4  7#f7 ,probation and        
supervised release revocation           
proceedings under ,rule #cb4a of the    
,federal ,rules of ,criminal ,procedure4
  7#g7 ,pretrial release revocation     
proceedings under section #cadh4  7#h7  
,appearances under ,rule #dj of the     
,federal ,rules of ,criminal ,procedure4
  7#i7 ,misdemeanor pleas and           
sentencings as described in ,rule       
#dc7;b77#b7 of the ,federal ,rules of   
,criminal ,procedure4  7#aj7            
,proceedings under chapter #djc         
7commonly known as the ,federal         
,juvenile ,delinquency ,act71 except for
 contested transfer hearings and        
juvenile delinquency adjudication or    
trial proceedings4  7b7 ,consent ,video 

conferencing or telephone conferencing  
authorized under subsection 7a7 may only
 take place with the consent of the     
defendant1 or the juvenile1 after       
consultation with counsel4  7c7 ,access 
to counsel ,video teleconferencing or   
telephone teleconferencing authorized   
under subsection 7a7 shall provide the  
defendant the ability to privately      
consult with counsel if requested4  4   
7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of   
sections for chapter #bja of title #ah1 
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after the item relating to    
#cjad the following new item3  #cjae4   
,video teleconferencing for certain     
criminal proceedings4  4  #d4 ,rule of  
construction ,nothing in this ,act1 or  
the amendments made by this ,act1 shall 
obviate a defendant's right to counsel  
under the ,sixth ,amendment to the      
,constitution of the ,united ,states1   
any ,federal statute1 or the ,federal   
,rules of ,criminal ,procedure4