Democratic Lawmaker Proposes Supreme Court Overhaul: Expands Justices, Mandates Two-Thirds Majority To Overturn Laws

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has introduced a sweeping bill to reform the Supreme Court, aiming to restore public trust in the institution.

What Happened: The legislation seeks to expand the number of justices from nine to 15 over 12 years. This staggered approach aims to prevent any single political party from dominating the court. Wyden, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said the bill’s goal is to rebuild public confidence in the judiciary, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Another key provision requires a two-thirds majority in the Supreme Court and circuit courts to overturn Congressional laws. This aims to curb the court’s recent trend of overturning laws with narrow majorities. The bill also mandates automatic Senate votes on Supreme Court nominees if their nominations linger in committee for over 180 days.

Wyden’s proposal includes expanding federal judicial circuits from 13 to 15, adding more than 100 district court judges and over 60 appellate-level judges. The bill also introduces stringent financial disclosure requirements for justices, including annual IRS audits and public release of tax filings.

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Despite its ambitious scope, the bill faces significant hurdles, as Republicans generally oppose efforts to overhaul the court. Other Democratic proposals for Supreme Court reform have also faced resistance, highlighting the challenging path ahead for Wyden’s legislation.

Why It Matters: Wyden’s proposal comes amid a backdrop of heightened scrutiny and controversy surrounding the Supreme Court. In July, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) announced her intention to file impeachment articles against at least one Supreme Court justice. This followed the top court's ruling to grant former President Donald Trump partial immunity from felony charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Additionally, in September, a U.S. District Judge temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s latest student debt relief plan, following a lawsuit by seven Republican-led states. This ruling has added to the ongoing debate over the judiciary’s role in shaping national policy.

Moreover, the Supreme Court recently overturned the Chevron doctrine, a 40-year-old decision that required judges to defer to agencies’ reasonable interpretations of congressional statutes. This significant change allows judges to decide on laws that are considered ambiguous, further intensifying the debate over judicial power.

Did You Know?

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari