S. 2854Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act

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Updated November 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM UTC

The District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act rewrites how judges are selected in Washington, D.C. by abolishing the local Judicial Nomination Commission and giving the President full authority to designate chief judges and nominate judges. It also updates related statutory language to remove references to the commission and makes the changes effective for all appointments after the law is enacted.

Key Provisions

Repeals the section of the D.C. Home Rule Act that creates the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, effectively eliminating the commission.
Changes the law so that the President, not the commission, designates chief judges for D.C. courts.
Allows the President to nominate judges directly, removing the requirement that nominations come from a list provided by the now‑defunct commission.
Updates the qualifications language for judges to delete references to the commission and makes minor formatting adjustments to the code.
Amends related sections and the table of contents to conform to the removal of the commission, and sets the changes to apply to any judicial appointments made after the law takes effect.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

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

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

September 18, 2025

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 18, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

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

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

September 18, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 18, 2025

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2854

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 18 (legislative day, September 16), 2025

Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes.

Short title

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

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 amendment

Section 11–1528(a)(2), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking subparagraph (C).

(d)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act is amended by striking the item relating to section 434.

(e)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to appointments made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.