Washington, D.C. — The Biden-Harris administration has proposed a series of reforms aimed at restoring accountability to the U.S. Supreme Court, including 18-year term limits for justices. Following the announcement, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress (CAP), issued a statement.
"Implementing 18-year term limits for justices is a monumental step to ensure that our democracy works for the 21st century rather than the 18th," Gaspard stated. "Lifetime appointments, resulting in decades-long terms, have increased the politicization of the court, resulting in a Supreme Court that is largely out of touch with the American people. The court’s 2022 Dobbs decision is case in point."
Gaspard emphasized that term limits would allow each president more opportunities to appoint justices, thereby aligning the composition of the court more closely with election outcomes. He called on Congress to act immediately on this and other recommendations proposed by President Biden to address what he described as an "out-of-control" court.
Related resources include "The Need for Supreme Court Term Limits" by Maggie Jo Buchanan and "Combining Ethics and Term Limits Strengthens Efforts To Rein in a Supreme Court Run Amok" by Devon Ombres, Jeevna Sheth, and Ben Olinsky.
For further information or expert commentary, Julia Cusick can be contacted at [email protected].
