Category: Federal
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Monthly tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since Jan. 2001
Through Dec. 1, 2021, there were 890 authorized federal judicial posts and 78 vacancies. Seventy-four of those vacancies were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month, no new judges have been confirmed. In the past month, 11 new judges…
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SCOTUS begins second week of December argument session
From Dec. 6 to Dec. 8, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will hear arguments in the final week of the 2021-2022 term’s December sitting. The court is hearing arguments in person and providing audio livestreams of arguments. This week, SCOTUS will hear arguments in five cases. Click the links below to learn…
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Six of 11 wave elections in the U.S. House took place during a president’s first midterm election
The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. With the 2022 Congressional elections approaching, the question of what qualifies as a wave election is once again gaining significance. In a 2018 study, we examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred…
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Two incumbent Democrats to face each other in U.S. House primary in Georgia
Incumbent Reps. Carolyn Bourdeaux and Lucy McBath each won congressional districts in Georgia previously held by Republicans. McBath (6th District) is running for re-election in the newly drawn 7th District, which pits her against Bourdeaux in the Democratic primary. Daily Kos wrote that Bourdeaux currently represents about 57% of the new 7th District, while McBath…
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Federal Register weekly update: 250 significant documents added so far in 2021
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions. From Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, the Federal Register grew by 1,226 pages for a year-to-date…
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In 2015, U.S. Supreme Court ruled independent redistricting commissions created by voter initiative were constitutional
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that independent redistricting commissions created by voter initiative were constitutional in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. State voters established that commission by approving a constitutional amendment in 2000—Proposition 106—to oversee the mapping of Arizona’s congressional and legislative districts. The Court ruled that “redistricting is…
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Courts block vaccine mandates for healthcare workers, federal contractors
Two federal judges in recent days issued injunctions preventing the enforcement of the Biden administration’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates for healthcare workers and federal contractors in certain states. U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on Nov. 29 issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Biden administration from…
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OIRA reviewed 41 significant rules in November
In November 2021, the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviewed 41 significant regulatory actions issued by federal agencies. OIRA approved three of these rules with no changes and approved the intent of 37 rules while recommending changes to their content. OIRA reviewed 58 significant regulatory actions in November 2020, 46 significant…