US President Joe Biden on Monday exercised his veto power to block the JUDGES Act, a bill aimed at adding 66 new judges to the nation’s underworked federal courts. This move halts what would have been the first major overhaul of the federal judiciary since 1990.
Initially supported by both parties, the bill proposed increasing the number of trial judges in 25 federal districts across 13 states, including California, Texas, and Florida, with new judges added in phases through 2035. The bill was backed by hundreds of judges, who highlighted the growing caseloads, which have spiked by over 30% since the last major judiciary expansion.
Despite this, Biden vetoed the bill, citing concerns over the rushed nature of the plan and questioning whether the new judgeships were truly necessary and how they would be fairly distributed across the country. The veto was issued shortly after the bill passed the Republican-controlled House with a 236-173 vote on Dec 12, following Biden’s warning days before.
The bill had previously gained unanimous approval in the Democratic-led Senate in August. However, the House’s delayed vote, coming after Donald Trump’s election, sparked criticism from Democrats who accused Republicans of breaking the promise to let new judgeships be filled under the incoming administration.
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