The Senate confirmed 235 of President Biden’s judicial nominees to a lifetime post, surpassing the record set during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term. This is the culmination of a four-year effort. Now approximately a quarter of active judges on the federal bench have been confirmed by the current Democratic majority.
“This is historic and will have huge and positive implications for the American people for generations to come,” Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said.
The 235 confirmations include:
- 187 district court judges.
- One Supreme Court justice.
- Two Court of International Trade judges.
“I am proud of the legacy I will leave with our Nation’s judges,” President Biden said in a statement.
“When I ran for President, I promised to build a bench that looks like America and reflects the promise of our nation. And I’m proud I kept my commitment to bolstering confidence in judicial decision-making and outcomes,” Biden added.
Democrats tout the diversity of the nominees’ professional and racial background. They confirmed more women, more people of color and more public defenders than any other administration.
“Every single one of them was reviewed and found qualified or well-qualified by the American Bar Association. In the previous four years under President Trump’s term that was not the case,” Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.
Republicans disagreed and tried speaking out against some nominees they thought were unqualified.
In November 2023, Durbin did not allow Republicans to voice their opposition to multiple nominees before a vote. The GOP minority warned him if Democrats don’t like a future Republican nominee, they will be treated in kind.
“You’re gonna have a lot of consequences coming if you go down this road. I cautioned a lot of you,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Democratic members during the hearing.
When Republicans take the Senate majority and the White House in January, they plan to continue the rapid confirmation pace that’s become the norm since 2016.
In addition to the regular openings that arise from retirements, Trump could have an additional 22 positions to fill if Congress passes a bipartisan bill to expand the federal judiciary to account for an increase in the country’s population.
