# Plain Language Summary: Supreme Court Size Amendment

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would lock the Supreme Court at nine justices—the number it has had since 1869. Right now, Congress technically has the power to change how many justices sit on the Court, and there's been ongoing debate about whether that number should increase or decrease. This amendment would remove that flexibility by making nine the permanent maximum size, requiring a constitutional amendment to ever change it again.

The bill matters because the size of the Supreme Court has become a political flashpoint. Some people worry that if one political party gains enough power, they could add more justices to shift the Court's ideological balance in their favor. Others argue that the Court needs more justices to handle its heavy workload. By amending the Constitution, this bill would prevent either scenario—no president or Congress could expand the Court beyond nine justices without going through the extremely difficult process of amending the Constitution, which requires approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, plus ratification by three-fourths of all state legislatures.

For most Americans, this wouldn't have an immediate impact on daily life. However, it would affect the long-term composition and power of the Supreme Court, which makes major decisions on issues like healthcare, voting rights, abortion, and civil rights. If you care about what the Supreme Court looks like in the future and who gets to shape it, this amendment directly addresses that concern by preventing any expansion of the Court.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court be composed of not more than nine justices.

Gallagher, Mike

 <p>This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution requiring the Supreme Court to be composed of not more than nine Justices.</p>