NewsMV
A Republican-backed constitutional amendment to permanently limit the U.S. Supreme Court to nine justices failed in the House in September, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for passage.
The defeat has intensified a debate over whether Congress should alter the court's composition, with Democrats introducing several bills to expand the bench or impose term limits.
Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court but does not specify the number of justices, leaving Congress with the authority to determine its size.
The current nine-justice structure was established in 1869, though the court's size has changed several times throughout its history, reaching as many as 10 justices in the 19th century.
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