Biden proposes Supreme Court term limits and ethics code

President Biden advocates for term limits and a binding ethics code for Supreme Court justices to address concerns about the court's conservative majority impacting environmental protections.

Lesley Clark reports for E&E News.

In short:

Biden's proposal aims to curb the Supreme Court's conservative influence by instituting 18-year term limits and an ethics code.
Environmental groups support the move, citing the court's recent decisions undermining environmental regulations.
The plan includes a constitutional amendment to eliminate immunity for crimes committed by former presidents while in office.

Key quote:

“What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”

— President Joe Biden

Why this matters:

Changes to the Supreme Court could shift its approach to environmental regulations and restore public trust in its impartiality. This move seeks to prevent a single presidency from significantly altering the court's composition for generations.

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