Democrats propose bill to limit term for Supreme Court justices

A group devoted to Democrats has introduced Tuesday a bill that would limit the term of Supreme Court justices.

According to , a report by Axios states that the bill would allow the president to appoint a judge in his first and third terms. Each justice would then serve 18 years prior retiring from active service.

Democrats claimed that the current court consisting of life-appointed members is ineligible due to the popular vote, recent decisions such as the refusal of it continuing upholding the right of abortion.

“Five out of six of the conservative justices sitting on the bench have been appointed by presidents who lost popular votes, and they’re now racing to impose that agenda on Americans,” Rep. Hank Johnson (Georgia Democrat, cosponsor) said in a statement.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island Democrat) will present the bill to the Senate, Axios reported.

The bill has very low chances of being made law and taking force on two points.

First, the near-certain lack of Republican support dooms it in a 50-50 Senate where most business requires 60 votes.

Its constitution is also questionable since Article III’s few provisions, which created the judiciary branch, stated that the judges of both the superior and inferior courts shall keep their offices while they are in good behavior. This means that the judge will be allowed to serve for the rest of life, barring any impeachment.

But Democrats remain undeterred.

“Term limitations are an important step towards restoring balance and this radical, unrestrained majority on the court,” stated Mr. Johnson who chairs the Judiciary subcommittee.

According to Axios, the bill will keep nine voting justices in office by shifting an already-serving justice (the longest-serving) to senior status at each biennial appointment.

Senior justices would continue to receive pay and perform some of their official duties (including voting) if there is a reduction in the number justices.

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