Dems in Congress supported plan for more judges, but Biden balks

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill Thursday to add new judges to federal courts across the nation.

The bill, which passed with a 236-173 vote, now faces opposition from outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden, who has indicated a potential veto, according to Reuters. This legislation proposes the addition of 66 judges to 25 federal district courts in 13 states, including key jurisdictions like California, Florida and Texas.

The implementation would be phased over multiple stages, culminating in 2035, Reuters reported. Despite its bipartisan passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate earlier this year, the House faced delays in bringing the bill to a vote until after the Nov. 5 presidential election, in which Republican Donald Trump won.

In response to the House’s decision, a White House spokesperson confirmed Biden’s continued opposition to the bill, citing concerns over the delayed vote. Among House Democrats, only 29 supported the measure, highlighting a deep partisan split over judicial appointments.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the bill and pointed to a 30% increase in federal caseloads since the last judiciary expansion, Reuters said. Johnson emphasized the need for more judges to ensure timely and effective justice.

“This should not be a political issue – it should be about prioritizing the needs of the American people and ensuring the courts are able to deliver fair, impartial, and timely justice,” Johnson said in a statement.

However, opposition remains staunch, particularly from Democratic New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a leading Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, according to Reuters. Nadler accused Republicans of “political games” for not holding the vote earlier and expressed concern over the influence Trump could have on the judiciary as Trump’s tenure has already seen him appoint 234 judges, including three Supreme Court justices.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported 47 existing vacancies in the federal judiciary, with an additional 20 expected soon. As of October, Biden has 28 judicial nominees awaiting confirmation, according to the American Constitution Society.

Progressive groups, including Demand Justice, are urging Senate Democrats to approve as many judicial nominees as possible before January. “We are going to get as many done as we can,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told the New York Times.

Upon entering office in 2017, Trump was faced with 108 federal judicial vacancies to address. Senate Democrats are debating whether to encourage U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to retire and seek confirmation of a new judge during the lame duck session, according to Politico.

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