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 consist of nine Justices.

Bill 119 SJRes 16 is a joint resolution that proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The purpose of this amendment is to mandate that the Supreme Court of the United States must consist of nine justices. Currently, the number of justices on the Supreme Court is not specified in the Constitution, and has fluctuated over time.

This resolution seeks to establish a fixed number of justices on the Supreme Court in order to maintain consistency and stability within the judicial branch. The idea behind this amendment is to prevent any potential manipulation of the number of justices for political gain, and to ensure that the Court remains an impartial and fair arbiter of the law.

If passed, this amendment would require a lengthy and complex process to be ratified, involving approval by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures. This means that the resolution faces significant hurdles before it can become part of the Constitution. Overall, Bill 119 SJRes 16 aims to establish a fixed number of nine justices on the Supreme Court, in order to uphold the integrity and independence of the judicial branch.
Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedA joint resolution 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.

Policy Areas
Law

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary3/24/2025

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the Supreme Court to consist of nine Justices.


Latest Action2/6/2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.