H.R. 8065 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on the Judiciary, Mar 24, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands interim U.S. Attorney appointment power
Right now, when a U.S. Attorney position opens up, the Attorney General can temporarily fill it for up to 120 days. If that time runs out and no permanent replacement has been confirmed by the Senate, a federal judge can appoint someone to serve until the vacancy is filled. This bill changes that by removing the judge's power to make that appointment, and it lets the Attorney General keep making temporary appointments for repeated 120-day periods instead.
How it affects you
This mainly affects how federal prosecutors are chosen in your area. If your U.S. Attorney's office has a vacancy, the process for filling it would now stay within the executive branch longer, rather than potentially moving to the courts. Most people won't notice a direct change in their daily lives, but it does shift which part of government has the final say when these important positions sit empty.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Mar 24, 2026)
Restoring Executive Branch Authorities to Oversee Offices of the United States Attorneys Act of 2026
This bill expands the authority of the executive branch to appoint interim U.S. Attorneys.
Current law generally requires U.S. Attorneys to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for four-year terms. However, if a position becomes vacant, then current law allows the Attorney General to appoint an interim U.S. Attorney for a term of up to 120 days. Further, if the 120-day term of an interim U.S. Attorney expires without a permanent, Senate-confirmed nominee, then the U.S. district court for the relevant judicial district may appoint a U.S. Attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled.
This bill eliminates the authority for U.S. district courts to appoint U.S. Attorneys to fill a vacancy after the 120-day term of an interim U.S. Attorney expires.
Additionally, the bill authorizes the Attorney General to make multiple interim appointments for 120-day terms.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 8065
A BILL
Restoring Executive Branch Authorities to Oversee Offices of the United States Attorneys Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Derek Schmidt (R-KS-2) · Introduced Mar 24, 2026 · Law · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 26, 2026: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 12 - 11.”