White House: Biden will veto federal judiciary expansion bill

A bipartisan bill to progressively increase the number of federal judgeships across the nation by 66 was scheduled for a vote this week by House Republicans.

But now that President-elect Trump has won a second term, Democrats are having second thoughts, as PBS reported.

On Tuesday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden would veto the law if given the chance.

If Congress is deeply divided along party lines, it will be very difficult to overcome a veto, effectively killing any prospect of the law passing this session.

The Timing and Change

This bill, which the Senate approved by a unanimous vote in August, has now taken a sharp turn for the worse.

The GOP-led House did not act on the legislation until after the election. It gives three presidential administrations the opportunity to select the new district judges over the course of a decade, spreading out the installation of the positions.

Representative Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) stated that the bill was crafted with the knowledge that three unnamed presidents in the future would have the opportunity to grow and influence the judiciary.

Without intent, neither side would get an unfair advantage. According to him, he pleaded with Republican leadership to consider the bill before to the presidential election. They chose not to, though.

From Lawmakers

Nadler stated, "It was a fair fight and they wanted no part of it."

Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, elucidated the timetable as follows: “We just didn’t get to the legislation.”

The contentious politics that surrounded federal judicial vacancies are underscored by the new urgency from House Republicans for contemplating the bill and the change of heart about the bill from some Democrats.

Most votes for the Supreme Court and appellate courts are now decided primarily along party lines, and Senate roll-call votes are now required for almost every judicial nominee.