US House rejects amendment to cap Supreme Court at nine justices

The United States House of Representatives has failed to advance a Republican-backed constitutional amendment that would have permanently limited the Supreme Court to nine justices. The vote took place on Wednesday in Washington and fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional changes. Lawmakers voted 212-206 against the measure, according to the supplied report.

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The proposal was championed by Republicans and was described as a joint resolution aimed at fixing the court at its current size. Representative Don Davis of North Carolina was the only Democrat to vote in favour, while independent Representative Kevin Kiley of California, who caucuses with Republicans, voted against it. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticised Democrats after the vote, saying that defending the integrity of the Supreme Court should not be controversial for members who swore to support and defend the Constitution.

The failed amendment came one day after the House approved a separate resolution condemning socialism by 220 votes to 192. That earlier vote also split largely along party lines, although eight Democrats joined Republicans in support. Together, the two measures functioned as messaging votes, with Republicans seeking to put Democrats on record on two politically charged issues ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The dispute over the size of the Supreme Court sits within a broader debate over the future of the federal judiciary. Some Democrats have argued for adding justices to counter the court’s conservative majority, a proposal often described by opponents as court packing. The issue gained momentum after Donald Trump appointed three justices during his first term, helping create the current conservative-led majority.

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That court has since delivered a series of legal victories for him, according to the supplied material. The latest vote also reflects how judicial questions have become part of the wider political contest in Congress. Constitutional amendments are difficult to pass because they require two-thirds support in the House, making the Republican effort unlikely to succeed without broad bipartisan backing.

The result leaves the current structure of the court unchanged for now, while preserving the issue as a live point of contention in the campaign season. What remains unclear is whether either party will return to the issue in a more formal legislative or constitutional push after the midterm elections. The supplied material does not indicate any immediate next step beyond the failed House vote.

For now, the amendment has been rejected, but the debate over the size and direction of the Supreme Court is likely to continue.

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