Vetoed and Commuted
President Biden is flexing his executive powers.
On Monday, he vetoed the JUDGES Act, a bipartisan bill to add 66 federal judges by 2035; it would have been the first major judiciary expansion since 1990.
Biden called the bill “hastily put together” and criticized House Republicans for passing it only after the election (meaning Trump, not Harris, would appoint the first wave of new judges). Judicial leaders criticized the veto, saying the courts need help; federal caseloads have jumped 346% since 2004, with ~80,000 cases pending.
Also Monday, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal death row inmates, reducing their sentences to life without parole. Only three inmates—convicted of mass killings—remain on death row. Trump’s team called the move a “slap in the face” to victims’ families.
CHOOSE HUMILITY
Being peaceable, gentle, and open to reason in the face of culturally hot topics is a sign of God’s wisdom in us.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.”
James 3:17 (CSB) (read full passage)