Biden doesn't support Supreme Court expansion, press secretary says
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President Joe Biden doesn’t support expanding the U.S. Supreme Court, despite his criticism of its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the White House press secretary told reporters Saturday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden “vehemently disagrees” with the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision overturning the right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, according to a transcript of her remarks.
But she said Biden does not want to expand the high court, according to coverage by ABC News, the Hill and the Wall Street Journal.
Responding to a reporter’s question, Jean-Pierre said she had been asked before about expanding the Supreme Court.
“That is something that the president does not agree with. That is not something that he wants to do,” Jean-Pierre said.
“There was a commission that was put together about how to potentially move forward with the court—reform the court. I don’t have anything more to share from any—any final decision that the president has made.”
The Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States released its final report in December. The commission took no position on proposals to expand the size of the court or to impose term limits on the justices.
Jean-Pierre said Biden would continue to fight for women’s rights. She said Biden is using executive authority to protect women’s access to medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and that the U.S. Department of Justice will defend women traveling for health care.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed those issues in a press release Friday.
Garland said “bedrock constitutional principles” protect the right to travel to other states for reproductive care. He also said states can’t ban the abortion drug Mifepristone “based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.”
Hat tip to How Appealing.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Democrats introduce bill to expand Supreme Court; opponents warn of ‘politicians in robes’”
ABAJournal.com: “Idea of court packing gains traction among some Democrats; are there alternatives?”
ABAJournal.com: “Law profs abound on Biden’s new commission to study changing the Supreme Court”
ABAJournal.com: “Breyer says expanding Supreme Court could erode trust, proponents should ‘think long and hard’”
ABAJournal.com: “As Biden staffs SCOTUS reform group, GOP senators back constitutional amendment to block expanded court”
ABA Journal: “Justice by Numbers: Proposals resurface to expand the size of the court”
