Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) is celebrating the House Judiciary Committee's passage of his resolution to keep the number of Supreme Court justices at nine and prevent court-packing.
What is the Resolution Exactly?
Rep. Biggs originally introduced House Joint Resolution 1 very early in January 2025, proposing to draft a constitutional amendment to officially limit the number of Supreme Court justices to nine: one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices.
This resolution has just passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Why Does It Matter?
Rep. Biggs explained in a press release: "Our nation's founders built a system of checks and balances to protect citizens from concentrated power – a central part being the U.S. Supreme Court, whose duty is to defend the rights and freedoms of every American, not to serve as a political tool for any party."
Rep. Biggs added: "The judiciary was designed to be the quiet guardian of liberty, insulated from the passions of the moment. Unfortunately, special interests have been increasing their attacks on the Court, threatening to pack this iconic American institution to ensure favorable outcomes for their causes. The goal is not ethics or protecting rights but gaining power and intimidating the Court."
Biggs further emphasized that "The ongoing and escalating assault on the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court must stop."
Biggs is Not Alone in Court-Packing Concerns
Representative Laurel Lee (R-FL), a fellow House Judiciary Committee Republican, recently spoke of apparent plans to pack the Supreme Court in a May House Judiciary hearing, saying that the Supreme Court's legitimacy "does not depend on whether people agree with every decision. It depends on whether judges interpret and apply the law independently without political intimidation, threats to their safety, or pressure to deliver preferred opinions."
She continued, "An independent judiciary cannot function if judges are treated like politicians whenever they issue an unpopular opinion."
