The Judicial Nominations Blog

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states for Memorial Day.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on June 1st and June 3rd. Next week, the Senate will return to consider five nominations, including two to the judiciary.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 7   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 11   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 71   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 22   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 3   ( - 1  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee:  1   ( +  1 ) Tiffany P. Cunningham, of Illinois, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit ( hearing held , May 26, 2021) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 2   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 6   ( - 1 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 3   ( +  1 ) Margaret Irene Strickland, of New Mexico, to be a United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico ( hearing held , May 26, 2021) Deborah L. Boardman, of Maryland, to be a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland ( held over , May 27, 2021) Lydia Kay Griggsby, of Maryland, to

This week, the Senate is holding votes on two nominations and one bill, and the Judiciary Committee will convene a nominations hearin g  and an executive business  meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm Brooks-LaSure, and will vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nomination of Kristen Clarke to be Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The Senate will also continue consideration of  S. 1260 , the Endless Frontier Act. Wednesday: The Senate will continue consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. Thursday: The Senate will continue consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee will hold a  nominations hearing  for the following nominees: Court of Appeals: Tiffany P. Cunningham , to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 7   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 11   ( +  3 ) Bernice B. Donald, Sixth Circuit, senior status, TBD, 1/16 seats vacant ¹ William A. Fletcher, Ninth Circuit, senior status, TBD, 4/29 seats vacant ² Beverly B. Martin, Eleventh Circuit, retirement, September 30, 2021, 1/12 seats vacant District Courts: Current Vacancies: 71   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 22   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 4   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee:  0   ( - 2 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 2   ( +  2 ) Ketanji Brown Jackson, of the District of Columbia, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit (Cal. No. 129),  13–9 Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, of Illinois, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit (Cal. No. 128),  12–10 District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without

This week, the Senate is holding votes on one nomination, one bill, and one joint resolution, and the Judiciary Committee will convene  an executive business  meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 1260 , the Endless Frontier Act. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to discharge the nomination of Kristen Clarke, to be Assistant Attorney for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, from the Judiciary Committee and will continue consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. The Senate will also vote to proceed to  S.J. Res. 13 , a Congressional Review Act joint resolution disapproving of the EEOC's "Update of Commission's Conciliation Procedures". Wednesday: The Senate will vote to pass S.J. Res. 13 and will continue consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. Thursday: The Senate will continue consideration of the Endless Frontier Act. On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee will hold an  executive s

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 7   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 8   ( +  2 ) James L. Dennis, Fifth Circuit, senior status, TBD, 1/17 seats vacant Richard A. Paez, Ninth Circuit, senior status, TBD, 3/29 seats vacant ¹ District Courts: Current Vacancies: 71   ( +  1 ) Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., Northern District of Georgia, senior status, May 8, 2021, 2/11 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 22   ( +  2 ) Gustavo A. Gelpí, Jr., District of Puerto Rico, elevation to First Circuit, TBD, 2/7 seats vacant John E. Jones III, Middle District of Pennsylvania, retirement, August 1, 2021, 1/6 seats vacant ² Anthony John Trenga, Eastern District of Virginia, senior status, June 1, 2021, 2/11 seats vacant Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 4   ( +  3  this week) Gustavo A. Gelpí, of Puerto Rico, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit ( officially nominated , May 12, 2021) Eunice C. Lee, of New York

This week, the Senate is holding votes on seven nominations and one joint resolution, and the Judiciary Committee will convene a nominations hearin g  and an executive business  meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of Andrea Palm to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm Palm, and will vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nomination of Cynthia Marten to be Deputy Secretary of Education. The Senate will also vote to pass S.J. Res. 15 , a Congressional Review Act joint resolution disapproving of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's "True Lender" rule. Wednesday: The Senate will vote to discharge the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, from the Finance Committee, and will vote to invoke cloture on (and confirm) the nominations of Ronald Stroman to be a Governor of the Uni

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 7   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 6   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 70   ( +  2 ) George B. Daniels, Southern District of New York, senior status, May 1, 2021, 4/28 seats vacant Ursula Mancusi Ungaro, Southern District of Florida, senior status, May 2, 2021, 2/18 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 20   ( - 2 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee:  2   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 6   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 3   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Com

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states for a work period.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on May 3rd and May 6th. Next week, the Senate will return to consider two nominations.