Restoring Executive Branch Authorities to Oversee Offices of the United States Attorneys Act of 2026
Introduced Mar 24, 2026 by Rep. Derek Schmidt
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
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.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.