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A top US senator has introduced legislation to expand the Supreme Court.

What’s the deal: Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced a bill aimed at overhauling the Supreme Court in response to what he calls a “legitimacy crisis.” The bill seeks to expand the number of justices from 9 to 15 over three presidential terms, with the president appointing two justices per term. It also includes a provision requiring a two-thirds supermajority to overturn acts of Congress, mandates automatic Senate votes for judicial nominees if delayed beyond 180 days, and requires the IRS to audit and publicly disclose the tax returns of Supreme Court justices, among other measures to increase transparency and accountability.

What the Senator is saying: In a statement, Senator Wyden said, “The Supreme Court is in crisis and bold solutions are necessary to restore the public trust. More transparency, more accountability and more checks on a power hungry Supreme Court are just what the American people are asking for.” His office added, “This legislation preserves the key role of the courts to provide judicial review and the authority to overturn federal law on a constitutional basis when Congress has made a clear error, while restoring the judicial branch’s appropriate deference to the legislative branch of government on matters of federal law construction.”

Here’s how each party is reacting:
Republicans: Many republican lawmakers have come out publicly against Senator Wyden’s proposal to reform the Supreme Court, viewing it as a politically motivated effort to undermine the judiciary’s independence. Many Republicans see the bill as an attempt to shift the court’s balance in favor of progressive outcomes over dissatisfaction with rulings that do not align with Democrats political goals.

Democrats: Many Democratic lawmakers have supported Wyden’s proposal, and others introduced by fellow lawmakers seeking to reform the court. Democrats argue that reform is needed due to recent rulings and ethical concerns among some Supreme Court justices.