House Democrats are preparing to roll out a bill that would impose 18-year term limits on Supreme Court appointments, Reuters reports.
The bill would allow every president to nominate two justices per term, according to the report.
“It would save the country a lot of agony and help lower the temperature over fights for the court that go to the fault lines of cultural issues and is one of the primary things tearing at our social fabric,” California Rep. Ro Khanna told the outlet.
Khanna plans to introduce the bill next week along with Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy and Massachusetts Rep. Don Beyer.
Reuters noted that current justices, who serve lifetime appointments, have averaged tenures of more than 25 years.
Move comes amid push for third Trump justice:
The bill comes amid Democratic handwringing over President Donald Trump’s plan to nominate a third justice in his first term after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Senate Republicans have vowed to plow ahead toward confirming Trump’s pick, which is set to be announced on Saturday, ahead of the November 3 election.
The bill, titled the Supreme Court Term Limits and Regular Appointments Act, is the first to attempt to limit Supreme Court appointments.
Some legal experts have argued that such a move would require a Constitutional amendment.
The bill attempts to get around that by exempting the current justices.
“That’s perfectly consistent with their judicial independence and having a lifetime salary and a lifetime appointment,” Khanna said.
Trump wants Supreme Court to decide election:
Trump has said that he wants to get his pick on the court before the election because he expects the Supreme Court to determine the winner.
“I think this will end up in the Supreme Court. And I think it’s very important that we have nine justices,” Trump said this week. “It’s better if you go before the election, because I think this scam that the Democrats are pulling — it’s a scam — the scam will be before the United States Supreme Court. And I think having a 4-4 situation is not a good situation.”
