Congress keeps D.C. courts open during budget standoffs
H.R. 5654 — To provide for interim appropriations for the District of Columbia courts and related agencies with respect to any fiscal year for which appropriations are not otherwise provided for such courts and agencies. · Filed by Eleanor Norton (D-DC) · Introduced Sep 30, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill authorizes interim federal funding for Washington, D.C.'s courts and related criminal justice agencies if Congress fails to pass a full appropriations bill for the fiscal year. It ensures the D.C. courts, public defender service, court supervision agency, and judicial oversight bodies can continue operating at 2024 funding levels while Congress negotiates a permanent budget.
Why we flagged it
This is a narrow, technical appropriations measure designed to prevent a shutdown of D.C.'s court system and criminal justice agencies during budget gaps. It is routine interim-funding legislation with no policy innovation or private benefit.
What the text implies
- The bill references the 2024 appropriations act and 2025 continuing resolutions as the funding baseline, locking in prior-year spending levels. If those prior acts contained restrictions or carve-outs, they carry forward into this interim period.
- Subsection (c)(2) explicitly overrides a general exception in the 2025 Continuing Appropriations Act to ensure defender services continue at full 2024 rates—a narrow override that signals prior budget negotiations may have attempted to reduce defender funding.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill ensures continuity of essential judicial and criminal defense services in D.C. If these agencies lack funding, courts close, criminal cases stall, and defendants lose access to counsel—harming both public safety and due process.