The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bipartisan bill that would authorize the appointment of 63 new permanent judges over the next 10 years, 21 of them President-elect Trump He will fill it during his next term.
The White House issued a statement earlier this week that President Biden would veto the bill if it reached his desk.
The Senate in August passed the Judicial Shortage Emergency Resolution Act, or Judges Act of 2024, which overwhelms 63 people New permanent judges The president may choose over the next ten years. Citing the courts' heavy caseloads, the bill states that the president would appoint 11 of these permanent judges in 2025 and 11 more in 2027. The president would appoint 10 more in 2029, 11 in 2031, 10 in 2033, and 10 more in 2029. The bill says 2035.
But key Democrats are now pushing back on the bill after Trump won the presidency, criticizing how it was not voted on until after Election Day.
“Today, the House passed the Judges Act to authorize additional federal judges to ensure the American people receive fair and timely justice,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “This important legislation received broad bipartisan support when it unanimously passed the Senate in August because it directly addresses the urgent need to reduce the case backlog in our federal courts and enhance the efficiency of our judicial system.”
He added: “At the time, Democrats supported the bill, and they believed that Kamala Harris would win the presidency.” “Now, however, the Biden-Harris administration has chosen to issue a veto threat, and Democrats have opposed this bill, standing in the way of progress, simply because of partisan politics. This should not be a political issue — it should be about prioritizing the needs of The American people and ensure that the courts are able to deliver fair, impartial and timely justice.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
