House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is laying out an ambitious agenda for Democrats should they regain control of the House in November, including changes involving the Supreme Court, federal election law, and the Senate filibuster.
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Speaking Thursday at a convention for Black journalists in Atlanta, Jeffries indicated that Democrats are considering multiple approaches to changing the Supreme Court and suggested that none should be ruled out.
From The Washington Times:
Mr. Jeffries has supported 18-year term limits for justices. He said Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, would spearhead talks on altering the high court. Mr. Raskin has supported expanding it with additional justices.
Mr. Jeffries alleged that the “conservative, right-wing majority on the Supreme Court has become basically a subsidiary of the MAGA Republican Party,” citing its reinterpretation of the Voting Rights Act in April that allowed for pro-Republican redistricting in the South.
Although the Supreme Court has expanded some of President Trump’s powers over immigration and the federal government, it has also served as a check on the administration.
The comments put the future structure of some of the nation’s most important institutions into the debate ahead of November’s midterm elections. Jeffries currently serves as House minority leader and would be positioned to seek the speakership if Democrats capture a House majority. His remarks suggest a Democratic House could make institutional reform a significant part of its agenda.
One proposal Jeffries has previously supported would establish 18-year active-service terms for Supreme Court justices. Raskin, whom Jeffries identified as a leader in future discussions about the Court, has previously supported increasing the number of justices. Any attempt to change the Court’s size would require legislation, while other proposed reforms could raise separate constitutional questions.
Voting legislation is another priority. Jeffries reiterated Democratic support for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The legislation is intended to restore and revise provisions of the Voting Rights Act governing federal oversight of state and local election changes. Congressional records describe the legislation as an effort to restore and modernize Voting Rights Act protections.
Passing such legislation could also renew the battle over the Senate filibuster. In 2022, Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema opposed changing Senate rules to circumvent the 60-vote threshold for voting legislation. Jeffries now says that decision was a mistake and argues that the filibuster should be reformed. The controversy is not new: congressional debate over voting legislation has included calls for eliminating or changing the filibuster specifically to advance voting-rights bills.
President Donald Trump has likewise urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to advance portions of his agenda, while Senate Republicans have largely resisted doing so. The competing calls highlight a larger question facing Washington: whether either party will preserve procedural restraints when those restraints prevent it from advancing its priorities.
For intercessors, these debates go beyond ordinary partisan disagreements. The structure of the Supreme Court, the rules governing elections, and longstanding Senate procedures can shape American government for generations. As November approaches, let’s pray for wisdom among voters and elected officials, for integrity in our elections, and for leaders who will steward governmental authority with humility and respect for the constitutional order.
Share your prayers and scriptures for America’s government and elections in the comments.
(Excerpt from The Washington Times. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America – Hakeem Jeffries, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=154675097)
