# Plain Language Summary: Supreme Court Size Amendment

This is a proposal to change the U.S. Constitution to lock the Supreme Court at nine justices. Right now, Congress has the power to change how many justices sit on the Court—they could add more or remove some if they wanted to. This resolution would take that power away by making nine justices a permanent constitutional requirement that couldn't be changed without another constitutional amendment.

The practical effect is straightforward: it would prevent any future Congress from expanding or shrinking the Supreme Court. For decades, the Court has had nine justices, but there's nothing in the Constitution that requires this number. In fact, Congress has changed the Court's size seven times throughout American history, ranging from six to ten justices. This proposal would make that impossible going forward. If someone wanted to add justices to the Court in the future—whether to balance it ideologically, handle a heavier caseload, or for any other reason—they would need to get a constitutional amendment passed, which requires approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, plus ratification by three-fourths of the states.

This matters because the Supreme Court is deeply influential in American life. Its decisions affect everything from voting rights to healthcare to gun control. The size of the Court can influence what kinds of cases it takes and how it rules. By locking the number at nine, this amendment would prevent future generations from adjusting the Court's structure, even if circumstances change dramatically. Whether you see this as protecting the Court from political manipulation or as unnecessarily limiting future democratic choices depends largely on your perspective about how much power Congress should have over the judicial branch.

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.

Cruz, Ted

 <p>This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution to require that the Supreme Court consist of nine Justices.</p>