President Biden Wants to Make Changes to Supreme Court

President Joe Biden is reportedly finalizing plans to submit at least two ideas to reform the Supreme Court of the United States.

The “checks and balances” of the U.S. Constitution allow Congress to regulate the federal court system, including the Supreme Court, despite the fact that the courts are a separate branch of government. Congress rarely takes such action, however, and much of the Court’s administration and rules — including its ethics standards — are self-regulatory, allowing members like Justice Clarence Thomas to violate norms regarding the disclosure of lavish financial gifts, for example, without consequence.

Biden’s plans include establishing an enforceable ethics code and tenure limits for justices, per two sources who spoke to The Washington Post. Biden is also considering endorsing a constitutional amendment that would eliminate broad immunity standards for presidents and other officials, in the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling that grants protections to presidents against future indictments so long as they cite an action that is under their purview of powers.

Presidents have no role in the constitutional amendment process but can use their bully pulpit to give support to proposals.

Biden seemed to allude to something in the works, with regard to the Supreme Court, in a Zoom call with the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Saturday.