Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Introduced
Summary
Creates a mandatory, public code of conduct for the Supreme Court and federal judges. The bill would add clear disclosure, recusal, complaint, and amicus disclosure rules to increase transparency and oversight across the federal judiciary.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Broader rules for judge disqualification
If enacted, the bill would expand disqualification rules and duties. If enacted, judges would have to check and disclose personal and fiduciary financial interests of themselves, spouses, and minor children in the household. If enacted, judges must disqualify when they know a party or affiliate lobbied for them or spent substantial funds on their nomination, or when the judge or close family or closely owned private entities got income, gifts, or reimbursements in the prior six years. If enacted, judges must notify all parties right away if they learn of a reason to disqualify.
New public ethics codes for judges
If enacted, the bill would require the Supreme Court and Judicial Conference to issue mandatory codes of conduct within 180 days. If enacted, the Counselor to the Chief Justice would set rules on acceptance and disclosure of gifts, income, and reimbursements that at minimum match Senate and House rules. If enacted, the Supreme Court would post these codes and related rules on its website in full text, searchable and downloadable form.
Stricter disclosure for amici and parties
If enacted, amicus briefs would have to list anyone who helped prepare the brief and larger funders who gave at least 3% of the amicus's gross revenue or more than $100,000 in the prior year. If enacted, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts would run an annual audit for amicus disclosure compliance. If enacted, within one year the Supreme Court must make rules requiring parties and amici to disclose gifts, income, reimbursements, and any lobbying or substantial funding related to a justice from two years before the case through final disposition.
Sworn complaints and judge investigations
If enacted, the bill would create sworn complaint procedures for Supreme Court justices with signature, contact, facts, and a perjury affirmation. If enacted, complaints would go to a five-judge Judicial Investigation Panel of circuit chief judges that could hold hearings, take sworn testimony, and issue subpoenas. If enacted, it would add a three-judge random reviewing panel process for certified disqualification motions, require stays until final decisions, and require court clerks to post notices and explanations online. If enacted, the Supreme Court must send proposed rules about striking amicus briefs that cause disqualification to Congress within 180 days.
Regular studies and audits of recusal
If enacted, the Federal Judicial Center would study compliance with recusal rules within 180 days and then every two years. If enacted, the Center must keep records when judges are not assigned or later disqualify and send reports to Congress by April 1 after each study. If enacted, the Comptroller General would review the FJC study and the amicus audit within one year and then every five years if the Judiciary Committees request it.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sheldon Whitehouse
RI • D
Cosponsors
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Tammy Baldwin
WI • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Cory Booker
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Richard Durbin
IL • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
John Fetterman
PA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Martin Heinrich
NM • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Mazie Hirono
HI • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Timothy Kaine
VA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Mark Kelly
AZ • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Edward Markey
MA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Patty Murray
WA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
John Reed
RI • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Bernie Sanders
VT • I
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Brian Schatz
HI • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Tina Smith
MN • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Jacky Rosen
NV • D
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Jeanne Shaheen
NH • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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