Washington, Apr 16 (IANS): US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she has "no plans" to bring a bill to expand the Supreme Court from nine seats to 13 to the House floor for a vote.
"No. I support the President's Commission to study such a proposal, but frankly I'm not, right now, we're back, our members, our committees are working," Pelosi said when asked at a press briefing on Thursday in the Democrat-led lower chamber of Congress.
"I don't know if that's a good idea or a bad idea. I think it's an idea that should be considered and I think the President's taking the right approach to have a commission to study such a thing. It's a big step," Pelosi added.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler brought forward the bill on Thursday, arguing it would restore balance to the highest US court that currently holds a 6-3 conservative majority, reports Xinhua news agency.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order to establish a Commission to look into the possibility of adding more seats to the Supreme Court earlier this month.
"The Commission's purpose is to provide an analysis of the principal arguments in the contemporary public debate for and against Supreme Court reform, including an appraisal of the merits and legality of particular reform proposals," the White House said in a statement last week.
However, Biden himself has so far not stated whether he would support expanding the Supreme Court and once said he was "not a fan" of the idea.
The Supreme Court was expanded to nine seats from only five in 1869.