Hoosier State Today

Senator Todd Young has called on President Joe Biden to sign the Judges Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation aimed at increasing the number of federal district court judges. According to Young, the United States is facing a judicial crisis due to an overload of cases and a shortage of judges.

Young noted that the last significant expansion of the federal judiciary occurred in 1990 when then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden sponsored legislation that created 85 new judgeships. Since then, the U.S. population has grown by approximately 100 million people, leading to increased pressure on the judicial system.

The Judicial Conference of the United States recommended last year that Congress create 66 new district court judgeships to address this issue. Despite bipartisan acknowledgment of a judicial emergency, political challenges have made it difficult to add federal judges.

In August, the Senate unanimously passed the Judges Act, followed by a bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives. The bill now awaits President Biden's decision. However, the Biden administration has threatened to veto it, arguing that it is "unnecessary to the efficient and effective administration of justice."

Young criticized this stance, pointing out that more than 300 federal judges appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents support the bill's passage. He also highlighted long-standing advocacy from members of Congress for these reforms based on state-specific judicial needs.

The proposed law would allow incoming presidents to nominate additional district court judges over several years, with tranches added every two years until 2035. This approach aims to ensure fairness and bipartisanship in appointments.

Young urged President Biden to follow his past actions from 1990 and sign the Judges Act into law for the benefit of America's judicial system.