The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is generally considered to be the Nation’s second most important court, after the Supreme Court. This is because the D.C. Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes involving numerous federal laws and regulations, and is responsible for resolving critically important cases involving national security, environmental protection, employment discrimination, food and drug safety, separation of powers, and the decisions of a wide array of administrative agencies. Congress has authorized 11 judgeships for this court.