House Democrats block amendment to cap Supreme Court at 9 justices
House Democrats blocked a Republican-led constitutional amendment that would have capped the Supreme Court at nine justices. The vote failed to reach the required two-thirds majority, reflecting ongoing partisan tension over the future size and composition of the court.
Why it matters
Illustrates the intense political polarization regarding judicial independence and the potential for court-packing.
House Democrats are nuking Republicans' effort to assuage one of President Donald Trump's biggest concerns about the future of the federal government. A vote on a constitutional amendment to cap the number of Supreme Court justices failed on Wednesday afternoon after the vast majority of Democrats voted against it. Trump has warned for months that he believes Democrats would seek to expand the Supreme Court if they took back control of Congress, something affirmed by top progressives, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. House GOP leaders sought to head that off with a proposed amendment led by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., that would mandate that just nine justices can sit on the high court.
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