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Bill > SJRes16
US SJRes16
US SJRes16A 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.
summary
Introduced
02/06/2025
02/06/2025
In Committee
02/06/2025
02/06/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
119th Congress
Bill Summary
A 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.
AI Summary
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would permanently establish nine justices as the fixed number for the Supreme Court of the United States. The resolution requires approval by two-thirds of both the Senate and House of Representatives, and would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years of submission to become an actual constitutional amendment. By specifying the number of justices in the Constitution itself, the resolution aims to prevent potential future attempts to change the court's size, which has been a topic of political debate. The current Supreme Court composition of nine justices has been traditional since 1869, but is not constitutionally mandated, making this resolution a significant potential change to the judicial branch's structure. If successful, this amendment would enshrine the nine-justice model as a constitutional requirement, effectively blocking any congressional efforts to expand or reduce the number of Supreme Court justices.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (22)
Ted Cruz (R)*,
Jim Banks (R),
Marsha Blackburn (R),
Katie Boyd Britt (R),
Ted Budd (R),
Shelley Moore Capito (R),
Bill Cassidy (R),
John Cornyn (R),
Kevin Cramer (R),
Mike Crapo (R),
Steve Daines (R),
Deb Fischer (R),
Chuck Grassley (R),
Bill Hagerty (R),
John Hoeven (R),
Cindy Hyde-Smith (R),
Mike Lee (R),
Jim Risch (R),
Tim Sheehy (R),
Thom Tillis (R),
Roger Wicker (R),
Todd Young (R),
Last Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (on 02/06/2025)
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| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/16/all-info |
| BillText | https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/sjres16/BILLS-119sjres16is.pdf |
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