A critical bill aiming to add 66 new judges to federal courts nationwide advanced in a key House committee on Wednesday. The proposal seeks to address the growing strain on the U.S. judiciary, a measure that has gained significant attention after being vetoed by former President Joe Biden in 2022 due to concerns over judicial appointments during the final stages of his presidency.
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee approved the JUDGES Act with a near-party-line vote of 16-11. If passed, the bill would result in the first substantial expansion of the federal judiciary since 1990, with the new positions intended to alleviate a mounting case backlog that has left courts overwhelmed in several jurisdictions.
The bill, which mirrors a version that gained bipartisan support in the Senate last year, aims to provide much-needed relief to federal courts. While it passed the House in 2022 by a vote of 236-173, it was vetoed by Biden, who expressed concerns over the timing and the potential influence of then-President Donald Trump in filling new judicial vacancies.
U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, chair of the House Judiciary Committee’s subpanel on courts, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The need for more judges is undeniable. This bill takes necessary steps to address a staggering backlog of cases and ensure the effective administration of justice.”
Issa called on his Democratic colleagues who previously supported the legislation to stand by their commitment, despite concerns over the influence of a Republican president on the judicial selection process. Under the bill, Trump would have the authority to appoint the first 25 of the 66 new judges, but Issa pointed out that the political dynamics in states with Democratic senators would limit Trump’s ability to place judges without support.
Despite the support from Republicans, the proposal met strong opposition from Democrats on the committee. Representative Jamie Raskin, the committee’s leading Democrat, voiced his concerns, emphasizing the party’s objection to giving President Trump additional power over judicial appointments. He stressed that Democrats would only support such an expansion if measures were included to limit the president’s ability to influence court composition.
Although Trump appointed 234 judges during his first term, including three justices to the Supreme Court, concerns remain about further reshaping the judiciary in his second term. Raskin argued that this bill could potentially contribute to “court-packing,” a term used to describe attempts to influence the balance of the judiciary for political purposes.
The JUDGES Act is a critical measure aimed at addressing the growing demands on the judicial system. Its passage could have far-reaching implications on the future of U.S. courts, and the political battle over its provisions is far from over.
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