The Wright Patman Congressional Federal Credit Union will hold its annual meeting and election May 21.

During the meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in Ford House Office Building Room 480, credit union members will vote to fill three seats on the nine-member credit union board of directors.

The ballot includes three candidates, all of whom are seeking re-election: Carolyn Smith, William Cable, and Carleton Jenkins.

The board of directors, treasurer and Supervisory Committee will also present reports at the meeting.

— Jennifer Yachnin

Forum Explores Federal Judiciary Independence

As one of the most Congressionally sensitive issues in years — campaign finance reform — heads toward a showdown at the Supreme Court, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences hosts a forum, “Congress and the Courts: Independence of the Federal Judiciary,” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Mumford Room of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Building.

The meeting will take a look at the level of control wielded by the legislative branch over the federal judiciary, given Congress’ authority to limit the scope and range of the courts’ jurisdiction, its “power of the purse,” and the Senate’s role in the confirmation of judges.

Participants include: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.); Abner Mikva, a visiting law professor at the University of Chicago Law School and former White House counsel; Judge Danny Boggs of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit; and Yale Law School professor Judith Resnick.

The event is open to academy fellows, press and invited guests, including all Members of the education and Judiciary panels, as well as judiciary staffers.

— Bree Hocking