GOP aims at contempt of court in House reconciliation text, provision would free Trump administration to ignore court

[Celerity]

https://rollcall.com/2025/05/05/gop-aims-at-contempt-of-court-in-house-reconciliation-text/

The House Judiciary Committee’s portion of major spending legislation includes a provision that appears to limit the authority of judges to find U.S. government officials in contempt of court, drawing fire from critics who say it amounts to freeing the Trump administration to ignore court orders

The measure, Section 70303, is the final paragraph of 116 pages of text the committee approved last week as part of the process detailed in the fiscal 2025 budget resolution.

The language would prohibit courts from using federal funds to enforce a contempt citation for failing to comply with court orders if plaintiffs don’t offer money for bond pursuant to the rules of civil procedure — something experts said does not happen in most cases challenging U.S. government policies.

A House Judiciary Committee aide said the provision is meant “basically to stop frivolous lawsuits.” Democrats say the language would have a profound impact on the authority of the courts at a time when the Trump administration has expressed hostility towards judges for issuing orders against his policy initiatives.

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