WASHINGTON D.C. [09/28/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that she joined Senator Ed Markey’s (D-Mass.) legislation to expand the U.S. Supreme Court from 9 justices to 13, becoming the first Senate cosponsor. After Republicans in the Senate and in the previous Administration stole two Supreme Court seats, Sen. Smith believes that balance must be restored to the Court. The Judiciary Act would add four seats to the Court and not without precedence: the number of justices who sit on the U.S. Supreme Court has changed several times.
“Republicans have been working to politicize the U.S. Supreme Court for forty years, with the help of dark money and the Federalist Society. With Donald Trump’s help, they stole two seats, ensuring an ultra-conservative Court that is drastically out of step with the American people,” said Sen. Smith. “Allowing Texas’ extreme ban on abortion to stand is just the latest demonstration that much of the current Court has become dangerously unmoored from any reasonable principles of legal analysis. Doing nothing is not an option – we need to abolish to the filibuster and reform and expand the Court. We have to pass The Judiciary Act to restore the U.S. Supreme Court back to reflecting our nation’s principles and core beliefs.”
“Republicans stole the Court’s majority, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation completing their crime spree,” said Sen. Markey. “Of all the damage Donald Trump did to our democracy, this stands as one of his greatest travesties. Senate Republicans have politicized the Supreme Court, undermined its legitimacy, and threatened the rights of millions of Americans, especially people of color, women, and our immigrant communities. The Judiciary Act will restore the Court’s balance and public standing and begin to repair the damage done to our judiciary, and we should abolish the filibuster to ensure we can pass it. I am thrilled to have Senator Smith’s partnership and support on this critical legislation.”
You can access the legislation here.
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