Senators Propose 18-Year Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices in Bipartisan Effort

Dec 9, 2024, 11:48 AM

Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Joe Manchin (I-WV) have introduced a constitutional amendment aimed at establishing term limits for Supreme Court justices. The proposed amendment would transition lifetime appointments to nonrenewable, 18-year terms for new justices, with a new term starting every two years. This initiative comes amid ongoing ethics scandals and declining public approval of the Supreme Court. The senators argue that term limits would reduce the divisiveness of the confirmation process, give more voice to the American people, and provide each president the opportunity to nominate two justices per term. The proposal has gained bipartisan support, with polls indicating majority approval across party lines, though it remains a long-shot effort due to the high bar for constitutional amendments.