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

Floor Speech

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Mr. MENEFEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this constitutional amendment that would lock the number of Supreme Court Justices at nine.

The more I listen to this debate, the more it is abundantly clear to me that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have no desire to use the power that was given to us under the Constitution.

When President Trump starts a war in Iran, they refuse to pass a War Powers Resolution.

Now I am hearing an argument that we should lock the number at nine because that is what the Supreme Court wants, but that is not how the Constitution works.

The Constitution says that it is Congress that has the power to set the size of the Supreme Court. It is our call, and this has happened multiple times in the history of this country.

Ask yourself, why would my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to give that power away? Because they want to lock in this Supreme Court--this Supreme Court that has gutted voting rights, this Supreme Court that has taken away a woman's right to choose, and this Supreme Court where Justices take secret gifts and private jets and answer to absolutely nobody.

Americans are asking for something in the Supreme Court. They are asking for reform. They want to see ethics reform. They want to see term limits. They want to see a Supreme Court that reflects the American people and not just the few, a small group of elites.

Congress should be using its power, not giving it away.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

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