Senator Britt Applauds Senate Passage of Bill to Protect Alabamians’ Access to Federal Court

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 22, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today applauded the Senate’s swift passage of the Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation, cosponsored by Senator Britt and led in the Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), was passed last week by unanimous consent and now heads to the House for consideration.

The bill would transition ten temporary federal judgeships to permanent status in order to maintain the current level of access to federal courts for millions of Americans across the nation, including a seat in the Northern District of Alabama.

“I’m proud to cosponsor the Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act and applaud the Senate for unanimously passing this important bipartisan legislation,” said Senator Britt. “Senate passage of this bill represents a significant win for Alabamians and for the rule of law. We will continue to work to get this measure over the finish line in the House, so that every person across our state maintains access to the federal court system.”

BACKGROUND:

The Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act grants permanent status to all ten currently-existing temporary federal district court judgeships. This bill would grant permanent status to the judgeships in the following federal district courts:

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
• U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina

Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.Mex.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.Mex.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also cosponsored the Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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