Biden threatens veto of bill granting Trump additional federal judge appointments

On Thursday, the House passed a bill that authorizes 63 new permanent district judgeships over the next 10 years, with 22 of those positions available for President-elect Trump to fill during his next term.

Earlier this week, the White House announced that President Biden would veto the "Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act" or the "JUDGES Act of 2024" if it reached his desk. The Senate passed the bill in August, which staggers the 63 new permanent judgeships the president may choose over the next 10 years. The bill aims to address the heavy caseloads in courts by requiring the president to appoint 11 permanent judgeships in 2025 and 11 more in 2027. The president would then appoint another 10 judges in 2029, 11 in 2031, 10 in 2033, and 10 more in 2035.

After Trump's election, key Democrats are now criticizing the bill, arguing that it should have been voted on before Election Day.

"The JUDGES Act, which authorizes additional federal judges, was passed by the House today. This legislation received broad, bipartisan support and was unanimously approved by the Senate in August. It addresses the pressing need to reduce case backlogs in our federal courts and improve the efficiency of our judicial system."

"At that time, Democrats supported the bill, believing Kamala Harris would win the Presidency. Now, the Biden-Harris Administration has issued a veto threat, and Democrats have opposed the bill, hindering progress, solely due to partisan politics. This issue should not be politicized; it should be about prioritizing the needs of the American people and ensuring the courts can deliver fair, impartial, and timely justice."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.