Senate Democrats have introduced over a dozen bills to restructure the Supreme Court, pushing plans to expand the bench from nine to 13 justices, impose 18-year term limits, and establish enforceable ethics codes as frustration mounts over the court’s conservative shift.

The Reform Proposals Targeting the High Court

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island recently introduced legislation limiting Supreme Court terms to 18 years, with presidents nominating one justice every two years. The proposal aims to reduce what Democrats describe as the increasingly political nature of lifetime appointments. Other bills would expand the court’s size, require justices to place assets in blind trusts, and impose standards on the court’s shadow docket procedures.

Whitehouse defended the timing of these measures despite their slim chances of passage. He stated there is constant and building dismay about the increasingly troubling record of the court, with continuing interest in reform springing from concern about the court’s actions. The proposals coincide with record disapproval ratings for the Supreme Court and growing perceptions that justices rule based on ideology rather than law, according to recent polling data.

Conservative Pushback Against Political Interference

Republicans have dismissed the reform efforts as transparent attempts to intimidate and undermine a court that refuses to rule according to liberal preferences. Mike Fragoso, former chief counsel to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, called the proposals reprehensible. He argued that all of these reforms exist solely because the left disagrees with the court’s decisions, with the goal being to intimidate the court into changing course.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries acknowledged that a variety of different options remain on the table, though Democrats admit none can succeed without solid congressional control and elimination of the Senate filibuster. Any proposal would require 60 Senate votes under current rules, making passage highly unlikely in the near term.

What This Means for Judicial Independence

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has overturned numerous precedents in recent terms, including rulings on abortion rights and the Voting Rights Act. Democrats pursued similar overhaul proposals in 2020 after President Trump appointed three justices, but President Biden declined to advance those plans. The current wave of proposals reflects heightened liberal anger over decisions that weakened the 1965 Voting Rights Act, loosened campaign finance restrictions, and expanded presidential power. Even proponents acknowledge these bills serve primarily to reassure constituents that mechanisms exist to restore the court, rather than representing realistic near-term solutions.