Senator Grassley takes his role as a leader on the Senate Judiciary Committee seriously. While chairing the committee during the 116th Congress, Grassley facilitated Senate confirmation of a historic 85 highly-qualified federal judges to lifetime appointments. That includes two Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
A judge’s job is to review the facts of a case and apply the Constitution and laws as written, not to act as a super-legislator who seeks preferred policy outcomes from the bench. Grassley promotes this “originalist” approach to the judiciary when performing his advice and consent duties during the Senate confirmation process.
In order to receive Grassley’s support, judicial nominees must have intellectual ability, respect for the Constitution, fidelity to the law, personal integrity, appropriate judicial temperament and professional competence.
For years, Grassley has pushed for greater transparency in, and access to, our nation’s courtrooms, including the U.S. Supreme Court. His bipartisan Sunshine in the Courtroom Act would allow federal judges to authorize media coverage of trial and appellate cases, while maintaining appropriate safeguards and privacy protections for witnesses and jurors. Grassley also supports the Cameras in the Courtroom Act, which would require the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all its open sessions. These measures would improve Americans’ understanding of our nation’s courts and encourage respect for the rule of law.
Grassley has also fought to ensure judicial resources and taxpayer dollars are used appropriately. In 1999, as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, Grassley published a comprehensive, multi-year report and review on the federal circuit courts. Grassley continues to advocate for controlling the size and scope of the federal judiciary. while taking into consideration judicial caseloads.
Grassley has called on the Justice Department to prioritize security precautions for Supreme Court Justices and other judges who have sustained threats intended to influence and intimidate. Violence towards federal judges erodes an independent judiciary.
In his efforts to uphold the independence of our nation's judicial system, Grassley tirelessly pushes back on partisan efforts to delegitimize the Supreme Court and politicize the federal judiciary through court-packing and so-called “ethics reforms.”
Throughout his public service, Grassley works to boost civic engagement and appreciation for our system of checks and balances, particularly among the next generation. He hosts Federal Judiciary Youth Summits in Iowa’s Northern and Southern District Courtrooms, inviting area high school students to participate in a forum with federal judges to learn more about the federal judiciary and its impact on daily life.