An Act to provide for the appointment of additional district and circuit judges, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-486 · H.R. 7843 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 20, 1978 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)
Cosponsors (8): Rep. Jack Brooks, Rep. John Seiberling,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 292 yea, 112 nay292–112
- SenateRecorded vote: 67 yea, 15 nay67–15
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House receded and concurred in a certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #867 (292-112))
Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 117 additional district judges.
Directs the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 35 additional circuit judges.
Eliminates the exception for certain districts having two judges with respect to the requirement that no judge age 70 or older serve as chief judge.
Provides that a court en banc consists only of all circuit judges of the circuit in regular active service.
Authorizes any court of appeals with more than 15 active judges: (1) to constitute itself into administrative units complete with such facilities and staff as may be prescribed by the Administrative Office; and (2) to perform its en banc function by such number of members of its en banc courts as may be prescribed by its own rule.
Conditions such appointments on the President's promulgating and publishing regulations which establish procedures and guidelines for the selection of nominees on the basis of merit. Permits the President to waive such regulations with respect to any nomination by notifying the Senate of the reasons for such waiver. Provides that no nomination or appointment to a United States district court judgeship may be invalidated on the basis of the President's failure to comply with this Act, or any regulation promulgated under this Act.
Suggests that the President, in selecting nominees to the Federal judgeships created by this Act, give due consideration to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
Requires a $10,000 jurisdictional amount on each receipt or bill of lading which is the basis of an action against rail or motor carriers to recover damages on freight shipments.
Authorizes the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to place a total of 15 positions in GS-16, 17, and 18.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 95th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 295 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
295 yea114 nay23 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(238)
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
- Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
- Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-21
- Rep. John MossD-CA-3
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
- Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Richard NolanD-MN-6- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
- Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
- Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
- Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Alvin BaldusD-WI-3
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
- Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
- Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Joseph LeFanteD-NJ-14
- Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
- Rep. Helen MeynerD-NJ-13
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
- Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. John JenretteD-SC-6
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
- Rep. John DentD-PA-21
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Toby MoffettD-CT-6
- Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-15
Rep. Christopher DoddD-CT-2- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. James TuckerD-AR-2
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
- Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
- Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
- Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
- Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
- Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
- Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
- Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
- Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
- Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
- Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
- Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
- Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
- Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
- Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
- Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
- Rep. Kenneth HollandD-SC-5
- Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
- Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
- Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
- Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
- Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. John CavanaughD-NE-2
- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
- Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Joseph EarlyD-MA-3
- Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
- Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
- Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
- Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
- Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
- Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
- Rep. Billy EvansD-GA-8
- Rep. Vonno GudgerD-NC-11
- Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
- Rep. James MannD-SC-4
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
- Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
- Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
- Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
- Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
- Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
- Rep. James SantiniD-NV
- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
- Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
- Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
- Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
- Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
- Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
- Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
- Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
- Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
- Rep. Thomas HuckabyD-LA-5
- Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. Robert GammageD-TX-22
- Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
- Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Sam HallD-TX-1
- Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
- Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
- Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
- Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
Republicans who voted yea(57)
- Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
- Rep. Newton SteersR-MD-8
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
- Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
- Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
- Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
- Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
- Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
- Rep. Larry PresslerR-SD-1
- Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
- Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
- Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
- Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
- Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
- Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-1
- Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
- Rep. William MooreR-LA-6
- Rep. Paul TribleR-VA-1
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
- Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
- Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
- Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
- Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
- Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
- Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-39
- Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
- Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
- Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
- Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
- Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6- Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
- Rep. Dan QuayleR-IN-4
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1472 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.
- Oct 20, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-486.
- Oct 11, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 7, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment, roll call #459 (67-15).Senate roll call 459
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendment, roll call #459 (67-15).Senate roll call 459
- Oct 4, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · House receded and concurred in a certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #867 (292-112).House roll call 867
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: House receded and concurred in a certain Senate amendment with an amendment, roll call #867 (292-112).House roll call 867
- Sep 28, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-1257.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in Senate, S. Rept. 95-1257.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1643.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1643.
- Feb 9, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to instruct House Conferees passed House, roll call #56 (321-19).House roll call 56
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Feb 7, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended (inserted text of S. 11 as passed Senate on 5/24/77).
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #42 (319-80).House roll call 42
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Jan 31, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Jun 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.