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.

# Summary of SJRES 16 **What the Bill Would Do:** This proposed constitutional amendment would require the Supreme Court to have exactly nine justices. Currently, Congress has the power to change the number of justices through regular legislation—there's no constitutional requirement for nine. This bill would lock that number into the Constitution itself, making it much harder to change in the future (requiring a constitutional amendment rather than a simple law). **Who It Affects and Why It Matters:** This bill was introduced in response to Democratic proposals to expand the Supreme Court beyond nine justices, which became a topic of debate during recent political controversies over court composition. The bill would affect all future presidents and Congresses, preventing them from adding or removing justices to reshape the court.

It impacts the general public indirectly by determining how the judiciary functions. **Current Status:** SJRES 16 is currently in committee and has not advanced further. Because constitutional amendments require approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, plus ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures, passage would face significant procedural hurdles. The bill remains a statement of position on court structure rather than active legislation moving toward passage.