The ABA supports legislation to preserve the decisional and institutional independence of the federal judiciary and opposes efforts that undermine the judicial process. Court funding cutbacks due to deficit reduction have strained the judiciary’s ability to deliver impartial and timely justice. The ABA urges Congress to protect the judiciary from further deficit reduction and to provide sufficient funding to enable it to carry out its constitutional and statutory duties. The ABA also urges the President and the Senate to work with common purpose to expedite the judicial nomination and confirmation process and significantly reduce the vacancy rate. In recognition of the interdependence of the state and federal judicial systems and the budgetary cutbacks facing state court systems across the nation, the ABA urges Congress to enact an amended version of the Crime Victim Restitution and Court Fee Intercept Act that provides an exemption for indigent debtors under certain circumstances.