Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3426
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-01: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T21:08:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025 (CASE Act) aims to reduce federal spending on courthouse construction by imposing restrictions on new builds and promoting efficient use of courtroom space through shared facilities among judges.
Key Provisions
- Limitation on New Construction: The Administrator of General Services (head of the agency managing federal buildings) is prohibited from starting construction on any new courthouse unless:
- Construction began before the law's enactment date, or
- The design meets minimum "courtroom sharing requirements" (explained below).
- Courtroom Sharing Requirements: These set minimum courtroom numbers based on judge types in the courthouse:
- For courthouses with 10 or more active district judges (primary federal trial judges): 2 courtrooms per 3 judges, with at least 9 courtrooms total.
- For courthouses with 3 or more bankruptcy judges (who handle debt and financial cases): 1 courtroom per 2 judges, plus 1 for emergencies; round down for odd numbers.
- For courthouses with 3 or more senior district judges (retired judges who work part-time): 1 courtroom per 2 judges.
- For courthouses with 3 or more magistrate judges (judges who assist with preliminary matters): 1 courtroom per 2 judges, plus 1 for criminal duties; round down for odd numbers.
- Design Guide Update: Within 180 days of enactment, the United States Courts Design Guide (a federal blueprint for courthouse layouts) must be revised to include these sharing rules as much as possible.
- Space Utilization Rule: When a new courthouse adds space to the federal inventory, any existing space in the same complex must be fully used or removed from federal control.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (Sec. 3320) to Chapter 33 of Title 40, United States Code (which governs federal property management), focusing specifically on courthouse costs.
- Includes a clerical update to the chapter's table of contents to list the new section.
- Introduces mandatory efficiency standards for new federal courthouses, which did not previously exist in codified law, shifting from potentially unlimited construction to regulated, shared-space designs.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The General Services Administration (GSA) will face reduced construction costs and must prioritize space efficiency, potentially saving taxpayer money but requiring more planning for new projects. Federal courts may experience optimized but constrained courtroom availability.
- Citizens: Could lead to more efficient judicial operations, reducing delays in federal cases, though it might temporarily limit new facilities in growing areas, affecting access to courts.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the law focuses on domestic federal infrastructure.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- General Services Administration (GSA): Responsible for enforcing construction limits and updating design guidelines.
- Federal Judiciary: Includes active district judges, senior district judges, bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges, whose courtroom access will be standardized and potentially shared.
- U.S. Congress and Taxpayers: Benefits from cost controls on federal spending for judicial buildings.
- Judicial Conference of the United States: Indirectly involved, as it influences court design standards.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces congressional oversight of federal spending under Article I of the Constitution (power of the purse), without altering judicial independence under Article III. The requirements are minimum standards, allowing flexibility but potentially leading to future disputes over compliance.
- Constitutional: No direct challenges, but could indirectly support efficient use of public funds, aligning with fiscal responsibility principles.
- Political: Promotes bipartisan goals of government efficiency and cost reduction, though it may spark debate in regions needing new courthouses due to population growth or caseload increases. Enactment via House passage and Senate referral highlights procedural norms in federal lawmaking.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
Cosponsors (1)
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-01: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-11-20: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- 2025-11-20: Senate returned papers to the House.
- 2025-11-19: Senate returned papers to House by by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-11-19: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-11-19: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-09-19: House requested return of papers pursuant to H.Res. 747
- 2025-09-16: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-09-15: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-09-15: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4278)
- 2025-09-15: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4278)
- 2025-09-15: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3426.
- 2025-09-15: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4278)
- 2025-09-15: Mr. Taylor moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2025-09-08: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 197.
Bill Versions
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-15 — PDF (4 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-15 — PDF (6 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-15 — PDF (3 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (3 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-01 — PDF (4 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (6 pages)
- Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-11-19 — PDF (3 pages)