WEEK OF OCT 5–11UPDATED OCT 5 · 11:14 PM ETALL TOPICSALL 25 →
TOPIC · JUDGES, JUSTICES AND THE LAW
Courts & Judiciary
Congress creates the lower federal courts and judgeships, sets the Supreme Court’s size, much of the courts’ jurisdiction and their budget, and the Senate confirms every federal judge. Congress can’t cut judges’ pay or remove them except by impeachment, and can’t overturn the Court’s reading of the Constitution.Congress creates the lower courts, sets the Supreme Court’s size, jurisdiction and budget, and the Senate confirms judges. Judges serve during good behavior; only impeachment removes them.
WHAT CONGRESS CONTROLS
Confirming federal judgesThe Supreme Court’s sizeNew courts and judgeshipsWhat cases courts may hearThe judiciary’s budgetImpeaching judges
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THIS WEEK ON THE ISSUE
Quiet week on the courts and the judiciary
Quiet week on the courts and the judiciary: 1 story.
The Congress and leading sections below still cover the whole Congress.
MORE THIS WEEK1 STORY
WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING
187 courts bills this Congress. 3 became law.187 courts bills. 3 became law.
HOW FAR COURTS BILLS GETHOW FAR THEY GETSHARE OF INTRODUCEDTHIS CONGRESS
Introduced100%187
Out of committee13.4%25
Passed one chamber5.9%11
Passed both2.1%4
Became law1.6%3
CROSS-PARTY SUPPORTHAS A COSPONSOR FROM THE OTHER PARTYHAS A COSPONSOR FROM THE OTHER PARTY
This topic31%All bills51%
WHAT TO WATCH NEXTFLOOR · COMMITTEES
Nothing on the floor or committee calendars for courts bills yet.
MOVED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS
SEP 30H.R. 8352PASSED BOTH CHAMBERSPASSED BOTH CHAMBERSCriminal History Access Act of 2026HOW COURTS VOTES SPLITHOW THE VOTES SPLIT7 ROLL CALLS
Party-lineThe parties voted against each other; under 1 in 10 of either party crossed over.6Split a partyThe parties’ majorities disagreed, and 1 in 10 or more of a party crossed over.0BipartisanMost of both parties voted the same way.0Near-unanimousAlmost every member voted the same way.1
6 of the 7 courts roll calls split along party lines. Across every bill this Congress, it’s 61%.
RECENT ROLL CALLSVOTES HUB →
HOUSE #293 · SEP 2FAILEDConstitutional amendment requiring nine Supreme Court justices212–206Party-lineParty-lineNEEDED 2/3FAILED212–206NEEDED 279 (2/3)HOUSE #285 · AUG 31PASSEDLocal Access to Courts Act378–10Near-unanimousNear-unanimousNEEDED 2/3PASSED378–10NEEDED 259 (2/3)HOUSE #173 · MAY 14PASSEDMonitor Accountability Act219–204Party-lineParty-lineMAJORITYPASSED219–204NEEDED MAJORITYHOUSE #172 · MAY 14FAILEDMotion to recommit H.R. 8365210–213Party-lineParty-lineMAJORITYFAILED210–213NEEDED MAJORITYBILLS IN THE NEWS2+ OUTLETS · 30 DAYS
H.R. 969413 STORIESEpstein Files Transparency Act IIIN COMMITTEE · JUDICIARYGAINING COSPONSORSLAST 30 DAYS
H.R. 9914Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act22 TOTAL · 10 R · 12 D+11NEWH.R. 4602Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act32 TOTAL · 17 R · 15 D+5NEWH.R. 4145Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025100 TOTAL · 42 R · 58 D+4NEWBECAME LAWTHIS CONGRESS
SEP16LACAAdds College Station and El Centro to the places where federal district courts must hold court.P.L. 119-109 · 2026APR13Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025Removes the overall filing deadline for claims to recover Nazi-looted art and changes how courts handle those claims.P.L. 119-82 · 2026DEC12Foundation of the Federal Bar Association Charter Amendments Act of 2025Moves governance rules for the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association into its bylaws and updates its rules on location, payments, loans, and assets.P.L. 119-57 · 2025WHO’S LEADING
Where the bills go, and who writes them
COMMITTEES THAT GET COURTS BILLSCOMMITTEESBILLS SENT
JudiciaryHOUSE107CHAIR Jim Jordan R-OH-4RANKING Jamie Raskin D-MD-8JudiciarySENATE65CHAIR Chuck Grassley R-IARANKING Richard J. Durbin D-ILOversight and Government ReformHOUSE12CHAIR James Comer R-KY-1RANKING Robert Garcia D-CA-42Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsSENATE4CHAIR Rand Paul R-KYRANKING Gary C. Peters D-MIEnergy and CommerceHOUSE3CHAIR Brett Guthrie R-KY-2RANKING Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ-6Environment and Public WorksSENATE2CHAIR Shelley Moore Capito R-WVRANKING Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI
WHO WRITES THE BILLSCOURTS BILLS SPONSOREDSPONSORED
REPUBLICANSDEMOCRATS
Bills each member introduced on the courts and the judiciary. Writing many bills is not the same as passing them; 9 of these 58 have left committee.Counts only. 9 of these 58 bills have left committee.
YOUR MEMBERS ON COURTS & JUDICIARY
How your members voted, and what they wroteHow they voted, and what they wrote
See how your senators and representative voted on the courts and the judiciary, and the bills they wrote.
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HOW IT’S COVERED
No blind spots on the courts and the judiciary this week
STORIES PER WEEK, BLIND SPOTS MARKEDSTORIES · BLIND SPOTSLAST 8 WEEKS8 WEEKS
2
AUG 1717
2
AUG 2424
3
AUG 3131
1
SEP 77
—SEP 1414
0
SEP 2121
1
SEP 2828
1
THIS WKNOW
STORIESLEFT-LEANING READERS SAW LESSLEFT SAW LESSRIGHT-LEANING READERS SAW LESSRIGHT SAW LESS
1 blind spot among 10 courts stories over 7 weeks. A story is a blind spot when one side’s outlets covered it far less than they usually cover a story. How we decide ↗
BLIND SPOTS THIS WEEKBLIND SPOTSONE SIDE’S OUTLETS FAR BEHIND
No blind spots this week: no courts story was covered lopsidedly enough by one side’s outlets to call it one.
OUTLETS COVERING COURTS MOSTOUTLETS COVERING IT MOSTSTORIES · LAST 8 WEEKS8 WEEKS
1Daily KosLEFTLEFT22pjmedia.comRIGHTRIGHT23twitchy.comRIGHTRIGHT24townhall.comRIGHTRIGHT25New York PostRIGHTRIGHT26Raw StoryLEFTLEFT27RadarOnlineCENTERCENTER18Fox NewsRIGHTRIGHT1
Lean is each outlet’s published rating on ChamberLight. A wire story republished by other sites counts once, under the outlet that wrote it.
MAKE SENSE OF IT
How Congress handles the courts and the judiciary
CONFIRMATIONSHow a federal judge gets confirmedThe President nominates. A Senate majority confirms, for life.THE COURTSWhat Congress controls about the federal courtsCongress sets their size, cases and budget. It can’t cut judges’ pay.CLOTUREWhy the Senate votes twice on a billEnding debate takes 60 votes; passing the bill takes a majority.TAKING UP A BILLVoting to take up a bill isn’t passing itStarting debate can take 60 votes before the bill itself.
CONFIRMATIONSHow a federal judge gets confirmedThe President nominates. A Senate majority confirms, for life.THE COURTSWhat Congress controls about the federal courtsCongress sets their size, cases and budget. It can’t cut judges’ pay.CLOTUREWhy the Senate votes twice on a billEnding debate takes 60 votes; passing the bill takes a majority.TAKING UP A BILLVoting to take up a bill isn’t passing itStarting debate can take 60 votes before the bill itself.
FOLLOW THE ISSUE
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COURTS & JUDICIARY · OCT 5–11
1 story
same as last week · Top story: Senate Democrats Discuss Trump Judicial Nominee Confirmations
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