Install
Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025
To amend title 40, United States Code, to limit the construction of new courthouses under certain circumstances, and for other purposes.
- Introduced
- Committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became law
Summary
Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025
This bill provides statutory authority for the General Services Administration (GSA) courtroom sharing policy and limits construction of new courthouses.
Under the bill, GSA must ensure courtroom sharing by magistrate, bankruptcy, and senior district judges. Specifically
- in courthouses with 10 or more active district judges, GSA must provide two courtrooms per 3 active district judges (except such courthouses may contain not less than 9 courtrooms for active district judges);
- in courthouses with 3 or more bankruptcy judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 bankruptcy judges;
- in courthouses with 3 or more senior district judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 senior district judges; and
- in courthouses with 3 or more magistrate judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 magistrate judges.
GSA is prohibited from constructing a new courthouse that does not comply with the courtroom sharing requirements. Additionally, if a new courthouse will add capacity in the GSA inventory, existing space in the same courthouse complex must be fully utilized or relinquished from such inventory.
GSA must update the U.S. Courts Design Guide to reflect these requirements within 180 days after the bill's enactment. (The Design Guide sets forth the federal judiciary’s requirements for the design, construction, and renovation of court facilities and is intended for use by individuals involved in federal court construction projects.)
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Actions
- Dec 1, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Nov 20, 2025 Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Nov 20, 2025 Senate returned papers to the House.
- Nov 19, 2025 Senate returned papers to House by by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 19, 2025 Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 19, 2025 House requested return of papers pursuant to H.Res. 747
- Sep 16, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Sep 15, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Sep 15, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4278)
- Sep 15, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3426.
- Sep 15, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4278)
- Sep 15, 2025 Mr. Taylor moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 8, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 197.
- Sep 8, 2025 Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-240.
- Jun 11, 2025 Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- Jun 11, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Jun 11, 2025 Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Discharged
- May 16, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- May 15, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- May 15, 2025 Introduced in House
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