CivicIndex

Federal Policy

Law and Legal Process

This area covers procedural law, federal court jurisdiction, judicial nominations, sentencing, and the operation of the federal court system. The Judiciary committees handle the bulk of it, especially confirming federal judges and Supreme Court justices.

Committees with jurisdiction

  • Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • House Committee on the Judiciary

Members who specialize in this area

Leadership

Committee members

42 more members on jurisdictional committees not shown.

Recent bills in this area

  • HRES. 1382 — Celebrating the historic anniversary of the June 24, 2022, decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

    Sponsor:
    Christopher H. Smith · Republican · NJ
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  • S. 4850 — Diversity Jurisdiction Inflation Adjustment Act

    Latest action:
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

  • HR. 2675 — Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act

    Latest action:
    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 608.

  • HR. 9290 — Supreme Court Justice Circuit Riding Act

    Sponsor:
    Joseph D. Morelle · Democratic · NY
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  • HR. 9279 — Preventing AI Censorship Act

    Sponsor:
    Harriet M. Hageman · Republican · WY
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  • HR. 9210 — BLANCHE Act of 2026

    Sponsor:
    Jamie Raskin · Democratic · MD
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  • HRES. 1351 — Impeaching Eleanor Louise Ross, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

    Sponsor:
    Andrew S. Clyde · Republican · GA
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  • HRES. 1346 — Impeaching Eleanor L. Ross, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

    Sponsor:
    Clay Fuller · Republican · GA
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Frequently asked

How does the Senate confirm federal judges?

The Senate Judiciary Committee holds confirmation hearings, votes the nomination out of committee, and then the full Senate votes. Since 2017, lower-court nominees require only a simple majority; the same applies to Supreme Court nominees since 2017.