A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The bill is known as the Better Bench Act and was introduced in the Senate on September 16, 2026.
The main goal of the bill is to amend title 28, United States Code, to repeal the residency requirement for circuit judges.
Additionally, the bill directs the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to provide appropriate facilities and administrative support services to circuit judges and judges of the United States Court of Federal Claims.
For judges residing within 50 miles of the District of Columbia, these facilities and services will be provided in the District of Columbia.
For judges not residing within 50 miles of the District of Columbia, the facilities and services will be provided in their home district and division, or the closest available location determined by the Director.
The text explicitly states that nothing in these new facility provisions authorizes or requires the construction of new facilities.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2 of the bill repeals the residency requirement for circuit judges, which removes geographic restrictions for those holding the position.
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Section 2(b) ensures that circuit judges who live within 50 miles of the District of Columbia receive appropriate facilities and administrative support services in the District of Columbia.
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Section 2(b) also ensures that circuit judges living further than 50 miles from the District of Columbia receive appropriate facilities and administrative support services either in their home district and division or in the closest available location determined by the Director.
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Section 3 of the bill directs the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to provide appropriate facilities and administrative support services to judges of the United States Court of Federal Claims, either in the District of Columbia if they live within 50 miles of it, or in their home district or the closest available district if they live further away.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- The provided text does not contain any specific sections or provisions that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
No significant interests or groups are affected by this bill.
- 9/16/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware