Biden to Advocate for Supreme Court Reforms and Constitutional Limits on Presidential Immunity

President Joe Biden is set to propose significant Supreme Court reforms and a constitutional amendment to limit his own power on Monday, highlighting his priorities in his final months in office.

Biden will speak in the afternoon at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, advocating for a constitutional amendment to ensure former presidents have no immunity from federal criminal indictments, trials, convictions, or sentencing. This aligns with Biden’s assertion that “no president is above the law,” a stance he has reiterated following a Supreme Court decision that some presidential actions are immune from prosecution, favoring former President Donald Trump.

Additionally, Biden will urge Congress to establish 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices to prevent any single president from having long-term influence over the judiciary. He will also call for the Supreme Court to adhere to the same enforceable ethics standards regarding gifts, political activities, and financial dealings as other federal judges.

Biden’s proposals will be presented at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Civil Rights Act, initially scheduled for July 14 but postponed following an assassination attempt on Trump on July 13. Biden had intended to unveil his plans earlier but stayed at the White House for the initial investigation of the shooting.

After recovering from Covid-19, Biden addressed the nation, explaining his decision to end his re-election campaign and hinting at Supreme Court reforms. “I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy,” he stated.

Biden’s shift toward court reform follows controversies involving Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito and recent conservative-majority rulings on issues like abortion rights. He expressed his belief that the Supreme Court is currently “out of kilter” at a fundraiser last month.

Justice Elena Kagan recently called for a stronger ethics code with enforcement mechanisms, highlighting the need for a system to enforce rules and protect those who haven’t violated them.

Despite Biden’s push for reforms, passing such legislation through Congress remains challenging. Biden has sought support from House Democrats and would likely need some Republicans to agree, given the GOP majority in the House and the narrow Democratic majority in the Senate. Senate Democrats introduced Supreme Court reforms last year, but Republican opposition blocked the effort last month.