House Democrats push bill to add four seats to Supreme Court

House Democrats on Monday demanded legislation to add four seats to the Supreme Court in hopes of moving the judicial body away from its current conservative slant.

The lawmakers made their push at a press conference hosted by the Take Back the Court Action Fund on Monday.

Their demands follow rulings from the high court handing conservatives major wins on both abortion and gun rights. The court in late June overturned the landmark abortion precedent in Roe v. Wade, returning the right to regulate the procedure to the states. One day prior, it struck down a New York law restricting the issuance of concealed carry permits.

The Supreme Court is "making decisions that usurp the power of the legislative and executive branches," said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., according to The Hill.

Some preemptively addressed detractors who would call the effort "court-packing" saying the Republicans did so first.

“The nightmare scenario of GOP court-packing is already upon us,” said Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.). “That’s how they got this far-right 6-3 majority in the first place.” 

The Court's 6-3 conservative slant is in part due to President Donald Trump's appointment of three associate justices to the bench. Neil Gorsuch replaced Antonin Scalia, while Brett Kavanaugh replaced Anthony Kennedy, and Amy Coney Barrett replaced Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Congress has previously changed the number of justices on the court seven times, The Hill noted.

The measure is unlikely to become law as Democrats will likely be unable to clear the filibuster's 60-vote threshold in the Senate in the face of stiff Republican opposition.