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HR 5551 110th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Crime and Law Enforcement District of Columbia Law Legal aid Legal fees Public defenders

To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to implement the increase provided under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2008, in the amount of funds made available for the…

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To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to implement the increase provided under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2008, in the amount of funds made available for the compensation of attorneys representing indigent defendants in the District of Columbia courts, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 6, 2008 Introduced by: Davis, Danny K. Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 26 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 2, 2008
Became Public Law No: 110-335.
Oct 2, 2008
Signed by President.
Sep 23, 2008
Presented to President.
Sep 17, 2008
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 16, 2008
Cleared for White House.
Sep 16, 2008
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8875)
Sep 16, 2008
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S8875)
Jul 25, 2008
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 900.
Jul 25, 2008
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman without amendment. With written report No. 110-432.
Apr 10, 2008
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Apr 2, 2008
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Apr 1, 2008
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Apr 1, 2008
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1852)
Apr 1, 2008
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1852)
Apr 1, 2008
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5551.
Apr 1, 2008
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1852-1853)
Apr 1, 2008
Mr. Davis (IL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Mar 31, 2008
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 343.
Mar 31, 2008
Reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government. H. Rept. 110-560.
Mar 13, 2008
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Mar 13, 2008
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 13, 2008
Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia Discharged.
Mar 10, 2008
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.
Mar 6, 2008
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Mar 6, 2008
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E320)
Mar 6, 2008
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the District of Columbia Official Code to increase from $65 to $80 the hourly rate of attorneys representing indigent defendants in the District of Columbia courts.

Revises the current cap on total compensation paid to an attorney representing such a defendant to apply the corresponding caps under the federal criminal code. Increases the cap: (1) before the Superior Court of the District from $1,900 to $2,000 for misdemeanors and from $3,600 to $7,000 for felonies; and (2) to the same amounts for post-trial matters for misdemeanors or felonies.

Sets the cap for representation of a defendant before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals at $5,000, the limitation under the federal criminal code for representation of a defendant in an appellate court.

What's happening now October 2, 2008

Became Public Law No: 110-335.

 Bill text 7 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Mar 6, 2008
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5551: To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to implement the increase provided under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2008, in the amount of funds made available for the compensation of attorneys representing indigent defendants in the District of Columbia courts, and for other purposes.. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5551/
MLA
"H.R. 5551: To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to implement the increase provided under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2008, in the amount of funds made available for the compensation of attorneys representing indigent defendants in the District of Columbia courts, and for other purposes.." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5551/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5551, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5551/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5551: To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to implement the increase provided under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2008, in the amount of funds made available for the compensation of attorneys representing indigent defendants in the District of Columbia courts, and for other purposes.](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-5551/)
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