1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

Buried in H.R.1 (119th Congress)—The One Big Beautiful Bill—is a provision that could quietly and drastically weaken federal court authority. In Title LXX – General Provisions, Section 70302 – Restriction of Funds, the bill reads: “No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued...” In plain English, this means if a judge waives the usual bond requirement when issuing an emergency order—something courts are allowed to do—they would be stripped of the ability to enforce it through contempt citations. That would handcuff judges in urgent situations, including civil rights violations, public health orders, or environmental protections. This has massive implications: Undermining the enforcement power of the judiciary Legislative overreach by controlling court enforcement through appropriations Encouraging disobedience of lawful orders in high-stakes cases Section 70302 has received no national spotlight and deserves urgent attention from the press. It’s a quiet change that could lead to loud consequences.