Judiciary
Bill to create 66 new federal judgeships advances
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create 66 new federal judgeships. (Image from Shutterstock)
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create 66 new federal judgeships.
The committee passed the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act—also known as the JUDGES Act—“on a nearly party-line 16-11 vote,” Reuters reports.
The bill would stagger the new judgeships over more than a decade, Courthouse News Service reports. But President Donald Trump would get the first appointments.
The only Democrat supporting the bill was U.S. Rep. Lou Correa of California. The legislation would add 21 new federal judges in his state.
Former President Joe Biden vetoed a similar bill last year after Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives failed to approve the legislation until after Trump’s election.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, said Wednesday approval is needed to address a “staggering” backlog of cases, according to Reuters.
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