All articles tagged with #court expansion
The House voted 212-206 to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment that would fix the Supreme Court at nine justices, with all but one Democrat voting against and Rep. Don Davis the lone Democrat in support; the measure would remove Congress’s authority to resize the court, as talks of expanding the court persist inside the party ahead of future elections.
Kamala Harris endorsed progressive reforms she didn’t campaign on in 2024—expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices and revisiting the Electoral College—while courting progressive groups and weighing a 2028 bid; she says she remains focused on the midterms and has not yet decided whether to run.
Vice President Kamala Harris said the United States should consider expanding the Supreme Court to 13 justices, a reform favored by many Democrats, during remarks at the National Urban League conference in Nashville. She also called for a review of the Electoral College and statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., highlighting a broader push to reshape U.S. institutions as 2028 contenders push reform agendas.
President Biden sharply criticized the current Supreme Court, stating that it has done "more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history." However, he stopped short of calling for court expansion, expressing concerns about the potential consequences. Biden acknowledged that some justices may be recognizing the need to align court decisions with the values of the American people to maintain the institution's legitimacy. The president's frustration with the court comes after its recent decision to end affirmative action in college admissions. Biden's comments suggest that criticizing the Supreme Court could become part of his reelection message, emphasizing the importance of protecting fundamental rights.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz has introduced a constitutional amendment to permanently keep the number of justices on the Supreme Court at nine, in response to Democratic plans to expand the court. Democrats argue that the current court is not independent of the Republican party. Cruz's amendment has little chance of passing a Democratic-held Senate, but 10 Republican senators supported it. The court is currently dominated by conservatives, with a 6-3 majority, and plans to expand the court have been floated on the left to redress its ideological balance.