President Joe Biden unveiled plans to make changes to a particular provision in the U.S. Constitution, as well as to implement reforms on the tenure of Supreme Court justices.
Calling the proposed constitutional amendment the "No One Is Above the Law Amendment," it answers to an earlier ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of immunity for former president Donald Trump.
The high court ruled that Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for official acts while he was president. Biden also wants to impose term limits on the tenure of Supreme Court justices.
In addition, Biden wants the high court to uphold an ethics code following questionable conduct, particularly involving justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Both were embroiled in a scandal concerning financial gifts, which could potentially result in a conflict of interest.
On Monday, The Washington Post published an op-ed where Biden underscored the principle that no one is above the law, ABC News reported.
"This nation was founded on a simple yet profound principle: No one is above the law. Not the president of the United States. Not a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. No one," Biden wrote.
Before the publication of the op-ed, an official of the White House stated that the president shared the belief of the founding fathers that the power of the president is limited and not absolute, and that such power "must ultimately reside with the people."
"He is calling for a constitutional amendment that makes clear no president is above the law or immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office," the official said.
As the president only has six months before finally relinquishing his office, he expressed that making reforms in the Supreme Court is a top priority, CNBC reported.
"I'm going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy," he said during a national address that he made last week from the Oval Office.
Before the proposals of the president can become a law, there must be a congressional approval. At present, Congress is split and a two-thirds majority from both Senate and the House is required in order for it to amend the Constitution.
