Led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), a group of Senate Republicans proposed a constitutional amendment aimed at blocking any attempt to expand the size of the Supreme Court, or “pack the court.” The “Keep Nine” amendment proposal is a direct rebuke to Democrats’ threats of expanding the number of justices on the high court. The idea of "packing the court" is gaining traction among Democrats as Senate Republicans proceed with Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices,” it states.
The GOP lawmakers also introduced a second proposal that would prevent Democrats from unilaterally passing legislation related to court packing by creating a point of order against expanding the size of the court:
“In the Senate, it shall not be in order to consider a provision in a bill, joint resolution, motion, amendment...to modify, or that otherwise modifies, the total number of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States."
GOP Senators on court-packing: “We’re sticking with 9” pic.twitter.com/0l35h2lf07
— Doug Andres (@DougAndres) October 21, 2020
Recent polling backs up the GOP’s opposition to expanding the size of the Supreme Court, showing that court packing is extremely unpopular.
Rough SCOTUS polling for Dems this AM
— Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) October 20, 2020
Gallup:
??51% support ACB’s confirmation
??52% of Indys support ACB’s confirmation
NYT/Siena:
??44% (plurality) support ACB’s confirmation
??47% support a vote before E Day
??58% oppose court packing
??65% of Indys oppose court packing pic.twitter.com/0gW71pRQ4i
Senate Republicans’ fierce opposition to adding justices to the highest court in the land comes after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) vowed that “nothing is off the table,” if Democrats take the majority in the Senate.