Calls on Congress and State Legislatures to Act to Preserve Size of Supreme Court
At its spring meeting on Saturday, May 15, the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution supporting a constitutional amendment to keep the Supreme Court at nine justices.
The resolution was submitted to the NFRW Board by the NFRW Legislation and Research Committee, under the leadership of Chair Mary “Dubbie” Buckler. It reads:
WHEREAS, An independent United States Supreme Court is an essential element of America’s system of checks and balances that protects our Constitutional rights;
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has been composed of nine Justices for more than 150 years; and,
WHEREAS, The United States President and Congress should be prohibited from undermining the independence of the Supreme Court by changing the number of Justices on the Court;
RESOLVED, That the National Federation of Republican Women, meeting at its Spring Board of Directors Meeting in Alexandria, Virginia, May 14-15, 2021, joins the Republican National Committee to urge Congress to adopt the “Keep Nine Amendment” to the U.S. Constitution that states: “The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine Justices;” and,
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the Republican National Committee and to each State Federation of Republican Women, directing the State Federations to seek legislative sponsors in their respective state’s legislative chambers to present a “Keep Nine” resolution of support to their state’s legislature for adoption.
The adoption of this resolution occurred just prior to the first public meeting of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States on May 19, 2021. Members of the NFRW Legislation and Research Committee sent messages urging the Commission to include the Keep Nine Amendment on its policy agenda.
According to Roman Buhler of the Coalition to Preserve an Independent U.S. Supreme Court, “More than 80 percent of House Republicans and a majority of Republicans in Congress (194) now back the Keep Nine Amendment. Fourteen State Legislative Chambers have passed Resolutions asking Congress to propose the Amendment.”
NFRW designated the Keep Nine Amendment as a core legislative priority last fall to protect the independence of our Third Branch of Government, stating, “Court packing is all about legislative overreach and control, about Congress tipping the balance of power to its advantage by increasing the size of the U.S. Supreme Court to achieve partisan bias. We must keep the Supreme Court independent to protect our Constitutional rights.”