Ranking Member Hoyer Remarks at FSGG Hearing on the Federal Judiciary
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing on the Federal Judiciary. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of remarks.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank Judge Conrad and Judge St. Eve for being with us and for the meeting we had, which was very helpful as a preface to this hearing. If the Judiciary, Mr. Chairman, is to meet this pivotal moment and preserve the rule of law, we must ensure that it has the resources and independence it needs to function as a co-equal branch of government. That's why I'm very disturbed to see certain House Republicans call for retaliation against judges who rule on the law as they see it, but with which the President's administration may disagree.
"Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan sent a letter asking this committee to limit funding the Judiciary uses to issue and enforce injunctions. Other House Republicans have filed articles of impeachment against judges, not for any misconduct, but rather for ruling against the administration. Federal judges who block Trump's illegal executive actions are just trying to do their jobs and interpreting the law. That is their role and that is critical to our democracy. Many were appointed by Republican presidents, some were even appointed by Donald Trump himself. I agree with Chief Justice Roberts' assessment earlier this week, that retaliation against them has, to use his words, ‘endangered the rule of law.’ You can't claim to stand for law and order when you threaten the independence of the branch responsible for upholding law and order. Some of my colleagues across the aisle agree, and I hope they'll stand up for the Judiciary. Our subcommittee needs to ensure our courts receive the resources they need to fulfill their duties under the Constitution. Doing so is especially important considering the recent Continuing Resolution did not provide any funding increase for the Judiciary in Fiscal Year ‘25.
“Six of the eleven judicial branch appropriations were funded at a freeze for a second year, meaning they were forced to continue operating at Fiscal Year ‘23 levels. For Fiscal Year ‘26, Judiciary requested $9.4 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $800 million, or 9.3%, over the ‘25 Continuing Resolution. Most of that increase, however, some 68%, is just to offset inflation, while the rest is for programmatic reassessment. Failing to fulfill that request would threaten the Judiciary's ability to perform basic, constitutional, and statutory functions. I'm particularly concerned, Mr. Chairman, about our federal public defender program, which has faced a severe staffing shortage and budget shortfall for years. As a matter of fact, we made a mistake in this committee and the Senate made a further mistake – which was corrected – which would have completely undermined the ability to perform the public defender service as is necessary.
“The Judiciary has requested $1.77 billion for defender services, an increase – a substantial increase – of $350 million, or 22%, over the Fiscal Year ‘25 CR. Again, a freeze at ‘23 levels. Without that funding, courts will struggle to ensure that Americans are provided their constitutional right to an attorney, a competent attorney. We also need to ensure that our courts can keep up with the increasing caseloads. That means following through on the request to increase funding for the Court of Appeals and district courts by $345 million, or 6%, and again for the administrative office of the U.S. courts by $8 million, or 8%, over the ‘25 CR. Again, we're talking about ’73 levels, essentially. Without these increases to help our courts here hire staff as needed and cover basic operational costs, case backlogs will only continue to grow, making it harder for Americans to receive timely justice and due process. I know all the committee members understand this, but criminal cases will become – must become before the civil cases because of the right to a speedy trial. That means small businesses and other Americans will be pushed to later resolution of their cases.
“We also need to devote more resources to keep our judges and courts safe at the time when Donald Trump and his allies are vilifying our courts. The public hears that and it has a tendency to inflame those who may be irrational, may be mentally ill, or just may be angry. We ought to fulfill its request for a $142 million, or 19% increase above the ‘25 CR for court security – now court security is a euphemism for making sure our judges are safe, making sure that our judges are not intimidated, making sure that justice will be served unrelated to the threat of violence.
“I look forward to hearing more from Judge Conrad and Judge St. Eve – although I want to say to you, I'm going to go back to my other hearing, I’m going back and forth, but my staff will be here and I'm going to hear everything you say but it may not be – it may be virtually. Everyone who stands for law and order, Mr. Chairman, ought to be united in the mission of ensuring that our Judiciary is safe, neutral, and articulating their thoughts regarding – and opinions with reference to the law, unrelated to intimidation and forces beyond their control. I yield back.”