WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Democratic Representatives Ro Khanna of California and Don Beyer of Virginia today reintroduced the Supreme Court Term Limits and Regular Appointments Act, which would impose 18-year term limits on all future Supreme Court justices. In doing so, the proposed legislation aims to make the nomination process more balanced and predictable, such that each president would be able to appoint two justices for the duration of their four-year term in office.
Under the bill, current justices would retain their lifetime appointments, while future appointees would serve 18-year terms. The legislation would implement a regular appointment cycle, with new justices nominated in each odd-numbered year.
Public support for Supreme Court term limits is substantial. A 2020 poll from Fix the Court and PSB found that 77% of Americans favor restrictions on terms served by Supreme Court justices.
Rep. Khanna emphasized the need to restore public trust in the judiciary, stating, “The public’s trust in the Supreme Court has plummeted. Extreme conservatives on the Court have stripped away Americans’ fundamental rights. Term limits and a binding code of ethics will rebalance the Court and rebuild confidence in our institutions.”
Rep. Beyer echoed this, saying that ethics and politicization issues plague the Court. He said, “Rampant, blatant ethics violations and increasing politicization have made it clear that the U.S. Supreme Court is broken – and that reform is urgently needed to restore Americans’ faith in the integrity of the Court.”
Gabe Roth, Executive Director of Fix the Court, endorsed the proposed legislation, describing it as both constitutional and prudent. He noted, “The Court itself has upheld the creation of senior status in the lower courts, and no one in a democracy should serve in such a powerful position as justice for 30-plus years, as is now the norm.”
