District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025

H.R. 5125 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)

100%

3 members · Left 0 · Center 0 · Right 3 (Bill Ranking)

Sponsor	Rep. Sessions, Pete (R-TX) (Introduced 09/04/2025)
Sponsor Voting Record	Right · DW-NOMINATE +0.58 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking)
Support	LLLCLRR support across the spectrum: 3 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once
Committees	House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee; House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Latest Action	09/18/2025 Received in the Senate.
Roll Call Votes	1
Source	view on congress.gov →

IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateResolving DifferencesTo PresidentBecame Law

Summary (1)

Introduced in House (09/04/2025)

District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act

This bill terminates the District of Columbia (DC) Judicial Nomination Commission.

Currently, the commission recommends to the President nominees for judges for DC's Superior Court and Court of Appeals, who must then be confirmed by the Senate. The commission also appoints the chief judges for these courts. The bill terminates the commission's involvement in nominations and requires the President to appoint the chief judges.

Text (2)

Engrossed in House (EH)

119 HR 5125 EH: District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5125

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.

1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025.

2.Termination of District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission (a)TerminationThe District of Columbia Home Rule Act is amended by striking section 434 (sec. 1–204.34, D.C. Official Code). (b)Conforming amendments relating to appointment of judges (1)Designation of chief judges by PresidentSection 431(b) of such Act (sec. 1–204.31(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking the District of Columbia Judicial Nominating Commission established by section 434 and inserting the President. (2)Appointment by PresidentSection 433(a) of such Act (sec. 1–204.33(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking Except as provided in section 434(d)(1), the President shall nominate, from the list of persons recommended to him by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission established under section 434, and inserting The President shall nominate,. (3)Qualifications of judgesSection 433(b) of such Act (sec. 1–204.33(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended— (A)by adding and at the end of paragraph (3); (B)by striking paragraph (4) and redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); and (C)in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking or of the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. (c)Other conforming amendmentSection 11–1528(a)(2), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking subparagraph (C). (d)Clerical amendmentThe table of contents of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act is amended by striking the item relating to section 434. (e)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2025.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.

Introduced in House (IH)

119 HR 5125 IH: District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I119th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5125IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 4, 2025Mr. Sessions introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government ReformA BILLTo amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.

1.Short title This Act may be cited as the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act.

2.Termination of District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission (a) Termination The District of Columbia Home Rule Act is amended by striking section 434 (sec. 1–204.34, D.C. Official Code). (b)Conforming amendments relating to appointment of judges (1) Designation of chief judges by President Section 431(b) of such Act (sec. 1–204.31(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking the District of Columbia Judicial Nominating Commission established by section 434 and inserting the President. (2) Appointment by President Section 433(a) of such Act (sec. 1–204.33(a), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking Except as provided in section 434(d)(1), the President shall nominate, from the list of persons recommended to him by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission established under section 434, and inserting The President shall nominate,. (3) Qualifications of judges Section 433(b) of such Act (sec. 1–204.33(b), D.C. Official Code) is amended— (A) by adding and at the end of paragraph (3); (B) by striking paragraph (4) and redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); and (C) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking or of the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. (c)Other conforming amendmentSection 11–1528(a)(2), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking subparagraph (C). (d)Clerical amendmentThe table of contents of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act is amended by striking the item relating to section 434. (e)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.

All Actions (16)

Date	Chamber	All Actions
09/04/2025	Library of Congress	Introduced in House
09/04/2025	Library of Congress	Introduced in House
09/04/2025	House floor actions	Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
09/10/2025	House committee actions	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
09/10/2025	House committee actions	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 20.
09/15/2025	House floor actions	Rules 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.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4375)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	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.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5125.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	POSTPONED 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.
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4394)
09/17/2025	Library of Congress	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)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 218 - 211 (Roll no. 274). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4375)
09/17/2025	House floor actions	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
09/18/2025	Senate	Received in the Senate.

Titles (5)

Title Type	Title
Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text	To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.
Display Title	District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025
Short Title(s) as Passed House	District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act of 2025
Short Title(s) as Introduced	District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act
Official Title as Introduced	To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.

Amendments (1)

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Latest Action
HAMDT 105			09/17/2025 On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] — 09/09/2025 — Right (Sponsor Ranking)
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] — 09/16/2025 — Right (Sponsor Ranking)

* = Original cosponsor

Committees (2)

Committee	Activity
House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee	09/10/2025 Markup By
House - Oversight and Government Reform Committee	09/04/2025 Referred To

Related Bills (2)

H.Res. 707 — 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. (Related bill; Procedurally related)
S. 2854 — District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act (Identical bill)

Subjects (5)

Policy Area: Law

Advisory bodies
District of Columbia
Judges
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
State and local courts

All data on this page comes from our own database (legislation.congress_* tables), synced daily from the GPO govinfo BILLSTATUS and BILLS collections. Formatted after congress.gov; nothing is generated. Member placement is their DW-NOMINATE score (voteview.com, Lewis et al.) - a measurement of roll-call voting behavior, not our judgement. Buckets: Left below −0.50 · Lean Left to −0.25 · Center to +0.25 · Lean Right to +0.50 · Right above +0.50. The bill's Support meter aggregates the people who signed the bill - sponsor and current cosponsors, each counted once - nothing else.