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119-hr-3513119th Congress

Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

Introduced

Summary

A mandatory code of conduct for Supreme Court justices paired with tougher recusal and disclosure rules to boost transparency and manage conflicts. The bill would set out public ethics rules, complaint procedures, gift and income disclosures, and formal review paths for disqualification motions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

New complaint process for Supreme Court

This bill would require the Supreme Court to set up a formal complaint process within 180 days. Complaints would need a signature, contact address, a short factual statement, and a sworn affirmation under penalty of perjury. The Court could limit repetitive, harassing, or frivolous filers. A five-judge Judicial Investigation Panel would be chosen at random to investigate, hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and documents, and publish reports (including a report within 30 days if it does not recommend dismissal).

New ethics rules for federal judges

This bill would require the Supreme Court and the Judicial Conference to publish codes of conduct within 180 days. The Court must post its code online in full text so it is searchable and downloadable. The Counselor to the Chief Justice, with the Chief Justice's approval, would set rules on gifts, income, and reimbursements for justices and law clerks. Those disclosure and gift rules would at minimum match the House and Senate standards.

Regular studies and audits of recusals

This bill would require the Federal Judicial Center to study compliance with recusal laws within 180 days and then every two years. The Director would keep records of judges not assigned due to conflicts and self-disqualifications and send reports to Congress by April 1 after each study. The Comptroller General could review the study and the amicus audit within one year and then every five years and may obtain court records as allowed by law.

New disclosure rules for parties and amici

This bill would require the Supreme Court to adopt rules within one year for parties and amici to disclose gifts, income, or reimbursements given to any justice during the two years before a case until final disposition. Parties and amici would also have to disclose lobbying contacts or big spending supporting a justice's nomination. Amicus briefs would need to list contributors and disclose those who gave at least 3% of gross revenue or more than $100,000 in the prior year, with some exceptions. The Administrative Office would run annual audits of amicus compliance, and the Court must send proposed conflict rules to Congress within 180 days.

Stronger rules for judge recusal and review

This bill would widen and clarify recusal rules for federal judges, including bankruptcy judges. Judges would have to check and identify their own and household financial interests, including spouses and minor children who live with them. It would add a six-year lookback for income, gifts, or reimbursements from a party or affiliate and add disqualification for known lobbying or large spending supporting a judge's nomination. Motions to disqualify would need a certificate of good faith and an affidavit; the case would be stayed while a three-judge panel (or the Supreme Court for a justice) decides. Court clerks would post timely online notices explaining disqualifications and panel rulings.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

GA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/28/2026

  • Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 10/5/2026

  • Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 11/2/2026

  • Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

    ME • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

    MS • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2025

  • Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2025

  • Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2025

  • Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2025

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/30/2025

  • Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 6/30/2025

  • Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 6/30/2025

  • Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/2/2025

  • Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 7/25/2025

  • Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 8/1/2025

  • Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/1/2025

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 10/22/2026

  • Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 12/9/2025

  • Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 12/16/2025

  • Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 12/17/2025

  • Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2026

  • Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 1/22/2026

  • Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 4/9/2026

  • Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 4/20/2026

  • Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/23/2026

  • Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

  • Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/19/2026

  • Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/15/2026

  • Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 6/29/2026

  • Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 6/29/2026

  • Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2026

  • Rep. Menefee, Christian D. [D-TX-18]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2026

  • Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]

    KY • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

  • Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

  • Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 7/15/2026

  • Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 7/27/2026

  • Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 7/30/2026

  • Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/3/2026

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 8/10/2026

  • Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 8/10/2026

  • Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 9/1/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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