FAS

Judicial Vacancies Rose Under Obama, & More from CRS

09.19.16 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The number of district court vacancies during the Obama presidency grew from 41 vacancies in January 2009 to 75 vacancies in September 2016 — an unusual 83% increase, according to a new assessment from the Congressional Research Service.

By contrast, the number of vacancies decreased over the course of the George W. Bush Administration from 58 to 32 (a 45% decrease) and over the course of the Clinton Administration from 93 to 42 (a 55% decrease).

See U.S. District Court Vacancies: Overview and Comparative Analysis, CRS Insight, September 14, 2016

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

U.S. Circuit Court Vacancies: Overview and Comparative Analysis, CRS Insight, September 14, 2016

How a National Infrastructure Bank Might Work, CRS Insight, September 15, 2016

International Food Aid Programs: Background and Issues, updated September 14, 2016

FDA Regulation of Medical Devices, updated September 14, 2016

Prospects in Colombia: Cease-Fire, Peace Accord Vote, and Potential Disrupters, CRS Insight, September 14, 2016

Nicaragua: In Brief, September 14, 2016

Navy Ship Names: Background for Congress, updated September 14, 2016

publications
See all publications
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
Reforming the Federal Advisory Committee Landscape for Improved Evidence-based Decision Making and Increasing Public Trust

Protecting the health and safety of the American public and ensuring that the public has the opportunity to participate in the federal decision-making process is crucial. As currently organized, FACs are not equipped to provide the best evidence-based advice.

02.18.25 | 11 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
A Federal Center of Excellence to Expand State and Local Government Capacity for AI Procurement and Use

As new waves of AI technologies continue to enter the public sector, touching a breadth of services critical to the welfare of the American people, this center of excellence will help maintain high standards for responsible public sector AI for decades to come.

02.14.25 | 9 min read
read more
Clean Energy
Press release
Position on the Reintroduction of the Critical Materials Future Act and the Unearth Innovation Act

The Federation of American Scientists supports the Critical Materials Future Act and the Unearth Innovation Act.

02.14.25 | 2 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Strengthening Information Integrity with Provenance for AI-Generated Text Using ‘Fuzzy Provenance’ Solutions

By creating a reliable, user-friendly framework for surfacing provenance, NIST would empower readers to better discern the trustworthiness of the text they encounter, thereby helping to counteract the risks posed by deceptive AI-generated content.

02.13.25 | 7 min read
read more