On March 7, 2024, U.S. President Biden delivered the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Supreme Court justices in attendance.
Evelyn Hochstein | Reuters
President Joe Biden Unveiling a three-pronged Supreme Court reform proposal on Monday, he said this policy area would be his focus remaining months in office.
Biden calls for term limits Supreme Court judges, binding ethics rules and a constitutional amendment declaring that the president does not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution for any crimes committed while in office.
The proposed amendment, titled “No one is above the law,” is a response to the Supreme Court’s controversial ruling Former President Trump announced in early July immunity Immunity from criminal prosecution for “official acts” committed while he was president.
Biden’s proposed ethics rules follow several Supreme Court justices, including Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alitobecame embroiled in a scandal involving undisclosed financial gifts and created significant conflicts of interest.
Over the course of his administration, Biden has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of the conservative-majority high court, which has struck down federal laws abortion protect, restrict use affirmative action in college admissions and overturned the president’s student debt relief plan.
After the Supreme Court’s 6-3 immunity ruling, Biden issued a scathing rebuke: “Today’s ruling continues the Court’s assault in recent years on a host of long-established legal principles in our country, from denying voting rights to Civil Rights, today’s decision undermines the rule of law in this country and takes away women’s right to choose.
Biden’s new reform plan comes just over a week after he dropped out of the race against Trump and endorsed the vice president Kamala Harris to replace him. Biden said reforming the Supreme Court would be a top priority as he works to solidify his legacy less than six months after leaving office.
“I will call for reform of the Supreme Court because it is critical to our democracy,” Biden said in an address to the nation from the Oval Office last Wednesday.
However, turning his proposal into law will require congressional approval, which will be an uphill battle given the current partisan divide in Congress. In particular, new constitutional amendments require approval by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The president will lay out his new reform proposals later Monday in a speech at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Texas.
