Bill to expand Supreme Court to be introduced by Democrats

WASHINGTON (WAND) - Congressional U.S. Democrats plan to introduce a bill Thursday that would expand the Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices.

In the Senate, the bill is led by Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, who is chair of the Judiciary Committee, in the House. Cosponsors include Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia and Rep. Mondaire Jones of New York, per NBC News.

With Democrats holding slim majorities in Congress, this bill is not likely to pass. Many lawmakers disapprove and President Joe Biden is on record saying he is "not a fan" of expanding the court.

The bill represents anger from progressives, who have been upset with conservatives after former President Barack Obama's 2016 Supreme Court pick, Merrick Garland, had a vote denied by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who cited that it was an election year. Years later, McConnell confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett days before the 2020 election.

“This bill marks a new era where Democrats finally stop conceding the Supreme Court to Republicans," said former Senate Democratic leadership aide and reformDemand Justice co-founder Brian Fallon.

Fallon had described the court as "broken and in need of reform."

McConnell has warned that Democrats should not be adding court seats, adding there is "nothing about the structure or operation of the judicial branch that requires 'study.'"

"President Biden campaigned on a promise of lowering the temperature and uniting a divided nation," a recent statement from McConnell said. "If he really meant it, he would stop giving oxygen to a dangerous, antiquated idea and stand up to the partisans hawking it."

President Biden recently announced he was creating a commission involving left and right wing voices to study the Supreme Court's structure. Topics would include service length and the number of justices.