House Passes Bill to Curb 'Rogue' Judges' Impact on Trump Policies
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation aimed at limiting the power of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions against Trump administration policies.
In a move reflecting ongoing tensions between the judiciary and the Trump administration, the House passed the No Rogue Rulings Act with a vote of 219 to 213, with only Republican support. Spearheaded by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the bill seeks to restrict federal district judges from issuing injunctions that affect policies on a national scale, instead confining their rulings to the parties directly involved. This legislative effort comes in response to over 15 nationwide injunctions faced by the Trump administration since taking office, which have targeted various policies including reforms on birthright citizenship and anti-diversity efforts. Rep. Issa expressed confidence in the bill’s passage but was less optimistic about gaining Democratic support, referencing former Biden administration solicitor general Elizabeth Prelogar’s past concerns about judicial overreach. Amendments to the bill, such as one by Rep. Derek Schmidt, R-Kan., aim to prevent ‘judge shopping’ by limiting where plaintiffs can file cases. The bill’s passage marks a significant step by Republicans to counteract what they describe as ‘activist’ and ‘rogue’ judicial actions against Trump’s agenda, although its future in the Senate remains uncertain due to the need for bipartisan support to reach the required 60 votes.