Demand Justice, a progressive organization focused on judicial reform, is mobilizing a last-minute push to pressure Senate Democrats to confirm President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees during the remaining weeks of the 118th Congress. With a GOP-controlled Senate and a second Trump administration on the horizon, the group’s message to Democrats is clear: stay in session, work overtime if necessary, and ensure as many Biden nominees are confirmed as possible before the power shift.
The Republican takeover leaves Democrats with just seven weeks of control, during which they’ll need to navigate a packed Senate calendar if they want to add to the 213 judges already confirmed under Biden. Around two dozen nominees are still pending, including those who’ve cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee but await floor votes. To achieve additional confirmations, Senate Democrats may need to extend their session through the holiday season and address a narrow margin that has challenged other Biden priorities.
For progressive groups like Demand Justice, these judicial appointments are crucial, especially in light of Trump’s past success in reshaping the courts, having secured 234 judicial confirmations in his first term, including three Supreme Court justices. “Senate Democrats cannot give up now,” said Skye Perryman, a senior adviser at Demand Justice. “It’s even more critical to confirm qualified, fair-minded judges who will uphold the rights of ordinary people and protect our Constitution.”
According to the U.S. Courts website, 17 Biden nominees have cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee, with additional nominees awaiting hearings or committee votes. Demand Justice plans a widespread lobbying campaign aimed at key senators, alongside events on Capitol Hill and targeted ads.
The push adds pressure to a Senate already facing a crowded agenda, including disaster relief funding, the annual defense policy bill, and a government funding measure. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer affirmed that the goal is to confirm as many judges as possible, despite opposition from Trump, who called for GOP senators to block confirmations in the final weeks of Democratic control.
The White House has emphasized the importance of these confirmations, pointing out the backlog of cases and the real-life impact delayed justice has on Americans. “There is no excuse for choosing partisanship over enforcing the rule of law,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin also urged his colleagues to avoid delays, reminding them of the bipartisan confirmation deal that took place in the last days of Trump’s presidency. He hopes to secure votes for about two dozen judges in the lame-duck session, aligning with Demand Justice’s urgent calls for action.
Maggie Jo Buchanan of Demand Justice emphasized that the limited time left before the next Congress makes this effort more urgent than ever, with the group calling on Senate Democrats to work late and on weekends if necessary. Other advocacy groups, like The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, echo this push, stressing the importance of moving swiftly to secure Biden’s nominees in the courts.
Leave feedback about this