Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices.

1/14/2025, 2:53 PM

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the Supreme Court to be composed of nine Justices—one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.

Bill 119 hjres 1, also known as the "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices," aims to amend the US Constitution to mandate that the Supreme Court consist of nine justices.

Currently, the number of justices on the Supreme Court is not specified in the Constitution, leaving it up to Congress to determine the number. This bill seeks to establish a fixed number of justices to prevent any potential changes in the future.

The bill is significant because the number of justices on the Supreme Court has been a topic of debate in recent years. Some have proposed expanding the number of justices to balance the ideological makeup of the Court, while others argue that the Court should remain at nine justices to maintain its independence and stability. If passed, this bill would require a constitutional amendment, which is a lengthy and complex process. It would need to be approved by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then ratified by three-fourths of the states. Overall, Bill 119 hjres 1 seeks to establish a fixed number of justices on the Supreme Court, aiming to provide clarity and stability to the highest court in the land.
Congress
119

Number
HJRES - 1

Introduced on
2025-01-03

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

1/3/2025

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the Supreme Court to be composed of nine Justices—one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.

Bill 119 hjres 1, also known as the "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices," aims to amend the US Constitution to mandate that the Supreme Court consist of nine justices.

Currently, the number of justices on the Supreme Court is not specified in the Constitution, leaving it up to Congress to determine the number. This bill seeks to establish a fixed number of justices to prevent any potential changes in the future.

The bill is significant because the number of justices on the Supreme Court has been a topic of debate in recent years. Some have proposed expanding the number of justices to balance the ideological makeup of the Court, while others argue that the Court should remain at nine justices to maintain its independence and stability. If passed, this bill would require a constitutional amendment, which is a lengthy and complex process. It would need to be approved by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then ratified by three-fourths of the states. Overall, Bill 119 hjres 1 seeks to establish a fixed number of justices on the Supreme Court, aiming to provide clarity and stability to the highest court in the land.
Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedProposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices.

Policy Areas
Law

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary1/14/2025

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the Supreme Court to be composed of nine Justices—one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.


Latest Action1/3/2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.