Biden Under Pressure To Overhaul Supreme Court As Trump-Appointed Justices Help Overturn Fundamental Laws

Zinger Key Points
  • Joe Biden is facing increased pressure to reform the Supreme Court following a series of recent defeats for his administration.
  • Lawmakers and activists are asking Biden to enlarge the court and to apply term limits and mandatory retirements.

President Joe Biden is facing increased pressure from some members of his party to make sweeping changes to the Supreme Court after a recent series of defeats, including the court’s decision to strike down his administration’s plan to cancel student debt.

While Biden has openly criticized many of the high court’s decisions, he has so far resisted reforming the court, according to the Washington Post. This comes even as the court has significantly shifted towards conservatism following the tenure of former President Donald Trump.

Accusations have been leveled against Trump for allegedly solidifying the Supreme Court's conservative tilt for the foreseeable future, given that he nominated three justices during his time in office.
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The Proposals Joe Biden Faces: Activists and liberal lawmakers are asking Biden to consider several reforms, including expanding the court to include more justices, applying term limits and enforcing mandatory retirements, according to the outlet.

While Biden is resisting the pressure ahead of the 2024 presidential race, other lawmakers are working to pass legislation to implement changes. Congressmen Don Beyer (D-VA) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) reintroduced legislation to apply an 18-year term limit to justices on the Supreme Court last week, although the legislation is unlikely to pass and would only apply to new justices, according to WaPo.

“Recent partisan decisions by the Supreme Court that destroyed historic protections for reproductive rights, voting rights and more have undermined public trust in the court,” Beyer said in a statement, adding, “even as inappropriate financial relationships between justices and conservative donors raised new questions about its integrity,” he said, according to the outlet.

Meanwhile, Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) are backing a group of 100 lawmakers who make up the Congressional Progressive Caucus, in their effort to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court, as reported by the publication.

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