Congress·Passed House·H.R. 5125

D.C. Courts: Changing How Judges are Picked

District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025

6 months ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

✓ House

218–211

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would get rid of the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. Right now, this group screens candidates and gives the President a list of recommended people to pick from when there is an opening for a judge in D.C. local courts.
Under this new plan, the President would no longer have to wait for a list of names from the local commission. Instead, the President could nominate anyone who meets the basic requirements to serve as a judge in the District's local courts.
This change affects the courts that handle daily life in Washington, D.C., like the Superior Court and the Court of Appeals. These judges make decisions on local matters like family disputes, property issues, and criminal trials for people living in the city.
The bill changes how D.C. is governed by giving the federal government more direct control over the local legal system. By removing the local commission, the President has more power to choose who sits on the bench without local input.
These new rules would take effect for any judge appointed after the bill is signed into law. It does not change the status or jobs of judges who are already serving on the bench.

Milestones

3 milestones15 actions

Sep 18, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate.

Sep 17, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Sep 17, 2025House

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 211 (Roll no. 274). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4375)

Sep 17, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 211 (Roll no. 274). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4375: 5)

Sep 17, 2025House

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4394)

Vote Results

1 vote

HousePassedPassageSep 17, 2025

On Passage

218

211

Democrat

0 – 211 · 2

Republican

218 – 0 · 1

View full roll call

Related Bills

2 bills

H.Res. 707Related bill

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4922) to limit youth offender status in the District of Columbia to individuals 18 years of age or younger, to direct the Attorney General of the District of Columbia to establish and operate a publicly accessible website containing updated statistics on juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of Columbia from enacting changes to existing criminal liability sentences, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5143) to establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5140) to lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5125) to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1047) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3015) to reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of Energy to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on matters related to coal and the coal industry, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3062) to establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to authorize the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas and the transmission of electricity; and for other purposes.

Sep 17 — Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 722, H.Res. 707 is amended.

S. 2854Identical bill

District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act

Sep 18 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.