Biden urges Supreme Court reform, constitutional changes
In a speech recorded at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, President Joe Biden she addressed the urgent need for changes in the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court and the country's Constitution.
6:17 AM EDT, July 30, 2024
President Joe Biden on Monday called for transformations in the U.S. Supreme Court and amendments to the Constitution that would limit the powers of the nation's highest office.
Biden explained that the reforms aim to restrict presidential immunity and introduce term limits for Supreme Court justices. They would also establish mandatory ethical rules for judges, including financial disclosures and conflict of interest prevention.
In his opinion, Congress should pass a law requiring the sitting president to appoint a judge every two years who would serve 18 years on the Supreme Court.
"We need these reforms to restore trust in the courts, preserve the system of checks and balances that are vital to our democracy," Biden emphasized.
Biden calls for changes
"This nation was founded on the principle there are no kings in America, each of us is equal before the law. Just imagine what a president could do, trampling civil rights and liberties, given such immunity. The court is being used to weaponize an extreme and unchecked agenda," Biden assessed.
In addition to term limits, Biden urged Congress to impose the exact enforceable ethical requirements on the Supreme Court that other federal judges are subject to, including regulations on received gifts, political activities, and financial transactions.
NBS News predicts that passing the relevant laws in Congress is unlikely. It would require the consent of Republicans, who hold the majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats in the Senate presented a Supreme Court reform bill last year, which Republicans blocked.
