Story perspectives

Democrats Push Supreme Court Reform, Including 18-Year Terms

8/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says dramatic Supreme Court reform is necessary.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris wants to revisit expanding the Court.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg now favors a 13-justice Court with term limits.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and ten Democratic colleagues introduced legislation for 18-year terms and a new justice every two years.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced impeachment articles against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

History

Historical Context

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt unveiled the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill, aiming to add up to six justices to the Supreme Court. The proposal, championed by Roosevelt and backed by Senator Robert Wagner, faced opposition from 48 senators, with a 48-19 vote against it. Like Roosevelt’s plan, today’s Democratic leaders such as Hakeem Jeffries, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg push structural changes, citing perceived partisan imbalance. The 1937 defeat showed that aggressive court-expansion can trigger political backlash, warning current reform efforts of potential institutional resistance.

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Story summary

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries says dramatic Supreme Court reform is necessary.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris wants to revisit expanding the Court.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg now favors a 13-justice Court with term limits.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and ten Democratic colleagues introduced legislation for 18-year terms and a new justice every two years.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced impeachment articles against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

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