# 119-hr-3426: Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025

119-hr-3426, Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] (R-IN); status passed_house (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3426
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-3426
- Congress: 119
- Title: Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025
- Status: passed_house
- Introduced: 2025-05-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] (R-IN)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Limits new federal courthouse construction and forces courtroom sharing.** This bill would bar most new courthouse projects unless construction had already started or the design meets specific courtroom-sharing rules, and it would require the U.S. Courts Design Guide to be updated and the General Services Administration to fully use or relinquish existing courthouse space when adding capacity. - Judges and courts: Sets courtroom minimums and sharing ratios. For active district judges it requires 2 courtrooms per 3 judges with a floor of 9 courtrooms; for bankruptcy judges it requires 1 courtroom per 2 judges plus 1 emergency courtroom; senior and magistrate judges get 1 courtroom per 2 judges with specified duty courtrooms. - Design and planning: Requires the U.S. Courts Design Guide to be updated within 180 days to incorporate the courtroom-sharing requirements to the maximum extent practicable. - Facilities and inventory: If a new courthouse increases GSA inventory, existing space in the same complex must be fully utilized or removed from GSA inventory, a rule intended to curb redundant construction and limit spare capacity.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-05-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New courthouses must share courtrooms: mixed, medium. If enacted, the General Services Administration would not be able to start a new courthouse if construction had not already begun before enactment. It would also bar starting a new courthouse unless its design meets courtroom‑sharing rules. For 10 or more active district judges, there would be 2 co…
- Use or give up extra courthouse space: mixed, medium. If a new courthouse would add capacity to the federal inventory, the General Services Administration would have to fully use or give up existing space in the same complex. The U.S. Courts Design Guide would also need to be updated within 180 days to add the courtroom‑sharing rules to the maximum ex…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act
- 119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-3426 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3426)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8870)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10421)
- [119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6900)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3426 (as of 2026-09-10).