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CIVIC HERALD
HR 5125 · 119th Congress · HouseOther

District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

In plain language: This bill gives the U.S. President direct control over appointing local judges in Washington, D.C., by eliminating the District's local screening commission. Under current law, an independent local panel vets applicants, requires the President to choose nominees from a shortlist of three names, and selects the courts' chief judges. If this proposal becomes law, the President could nominate any qualified person to the D.C. bench without local pre-approval and would directly designate the chief judges running the city's courts.

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Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—not determinable from the text provided; the bill governs the selection procedure for DC court judges and does not specify population numbers.
Fiscal magnitude—not determinable from the text provided; no appropriations or funding mechanisms are mentioned.
Reach
provisional · pending review30rigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Federal vs. state/local+45Ethics & oversight−45

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Provisional: our reading of who it affects, pending review.

Who it helps

  • The President of the United StatesGains direct authority to designate chief judges for District of Columbia courts (Sec. 2(b)(1)) and to nominate judges without being restricted to a list of candidates recommended by the commission (Sec. 2(b)(2)).provisional
  • Former members of the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination CommissionAre no longer subject to statutory waiting periods or restrictions that prevented them from being appointed as District of Columbia judges due to their service on the commission (Sec. 2(b)(3)).provisional

Who it burdens

  • District of Columbia Judicial Nomination CommissionIs abolished and stripped of its statutory authority to screen judicial candidates, submit recommendation lists to the President, and designate chief judges (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 2(b)).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

Provisional: our reading of what the bill does, pending review.

Show all 4 provisions

  1. Abolishes the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  2. Authorizes the President, rather than the nomination commission, to designate the chief judges of the District of Columbia courts.

    Sec. 2(b)(1)provisional

  3. Allows the President to nominate District of Columbia court judges directly, eliminating the requirement to select from a candidate list provided by a nomination commission.

    Sec. 2(b)(2)provisional

  4. Removes candidate qualification rules that restricted individuals from being appointed as D.C. judges based on recent service on or interaction with the nomination commission.

    Sec. 2(b)(3)provisional

  1. Abolishes the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  2. Authorizes the President, rather than the nomination commission, to designate the chief judges of the District of Columbia courts.

    Sec. 2(b)(1)provisional

  3. Allows the President to nominate District of Columbia court judges directly, eliminating the requirement to select from a candidate list provided by a nomination commission.

    Sec. 2(b)(2)provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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The record

How members voted on District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025.

Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.

  • House · Sep 17, 2025 · YEA-AND-NAY

    On Passage · Passed

    Source →

Timeline

How it moved.

Show all 15 actions
  1. Sep 18, 2025Received in the Senate.
  2. Sep 17, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Sep 17, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 211 (Roll no. 274). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4375)
  4. Sep 17, 2025Passed/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)
  5. Sep 17, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4394)
  6. Sep 17, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 5125, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Garcia (CA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  7. Sep 17, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  8. Sep 17, 2025DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5125.
  9. Sep 17, 2025Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
  10. Sep 17, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4375)
  11. Sep 15, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 707 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
  12. Sep 10, 2025Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.
  13. Sep 10, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  14. Sep 4, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
  15. Sep 4, 2025Introduced in House
  1. Sep 18, 2025Received in the Senate.
  2. Sep 17, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Sep 17, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 211 (Roll no. 274). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4375)
  4. Sep 17, 2025Passed/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)
  5. Sep 15, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 707 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
  6. Sep 10, 2025Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.
  7. Sep 4, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

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Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 4 months ago

Cite this page

Civic Herald. “District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025 (H.R. 5125, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-5125. Congress.gov record as of Jul 13, 2026.

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