KS Rep. Schmidt-backed “No Rogue Rulings Act” gains steam

The House has passed the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA), which he cosponsored.

Kansas US Congressman Derek Schmidt told the KZRG Morning Newswatch that his legislation will reign in district judges’ power.

“Nationwide injunctions are designed to be an extraordinary remedy; unfortunately, that remedy is being abused through overuse and is at risk of becoming just another step in the public policy process rather than the check and balance of traditional judicial review,” Congressman Schmidt said. “It’s time for Congress to step in to ensure this rare tool is in fact used only rarely.

“No Rogue Rulings act is trying to tip that balance back to make sure that it is a rare exception when a district court judge blocks something nationwide. And by the way, I say that as somebody who, when I was Attorney general, again, I brought lawsuits asking district court judges to block federal actions nationwide. And we won some of those lawsuits, but we also respected that we had to do that rarely and in a targeted way when were pretty darn sure that were going to win on appeal. There was a policy, a legal policy justification for asking for that release. So we showed restraint. Some of the folks now litigating are not showing restraint and that’s created the problem.”

“As attorney general, I spent years suing the Obama and Biden administrations for government overreach,” Congressman Schmidt continued. “This bill preserves the possibility of nationwide injunctions in truly extraordinary cases with important guardrails to prevent their abuse.”

Originally introduced by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), H.R.1526, the No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025, would limit U.S. district courts from issuing broad injunctive relief that reaches beyond the parties involved in a case.

Congressman Schmidt’s amendment to H.R. 1526 – which was unanimously adopted by the House Judiciary Committee– allows nationwide injunctions only in cases where the impact of a ruling would affect the nation at large and only with procedural safeguards to limit stalling tactics. To qualify, a suit must be brought by two state attorneys general in different circuits and then be heard by a three-judge panel before a nationwide injunction could be granted. A three-judge decision could then be directly appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.