Weekly Column: From The Mailbag--Supreme Court Packing

As participants in the decisions made in Congress, Idahoans contact me with valuable input about the issues our country faces.  Realizing that many may not have the chance to contact me, I post information about various issues of importance on my website, http://crapo.senate.gov.  One of the issues Idahoans have contacted me about is the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, especially in the wake of President Biden’s new Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.  The following is my response:

On January 22, 2021, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) introduced S.J.Res. 4, a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  I am a co-sponsor of this measure, which would limit the number of Justices on the Supreme Court to nine.  S.J.Res. 4 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further consideration.

The Supreme Court plays a vital role in safeguarding the United States Constitution, and has done so in a nonpartisan manner with nine justices for more than 150 years.  Packing the Supreme Court and increasing the number of justices would give way to more partisan infiltration for many generations to come and would present greater and unnecessary volatile challenges in fairly and constitutionally settling the most pressing judicial cases affecting Americans.

I share concerns about court packing.  The judiciary is not an unelected legislative body; rather, the men and women who serve on the federal bench are charged to enforce and interpret the law before them.  I will fight all attempts to undermine the integrity of the federal judiciary.

For more information about the issues before the U.S. Senate as well as news releases, photos, and other items of interest, please visit my Senate website, http://crapo.senate.gov.  The website also provides information about how to contact me to share your views via email, phone and mailing addresses.  News about recent activities and information about accessing my Facebook and YouTube pages and following me on Twitter can also be found on the website.  Links to legislation and other resources to assist Idahoans who need help with federal agencies can also be accessed on the website.  The messages you send me help to shape my approach on a number of important matters.  Please continue to contact me and share your thoughts and ideas. 

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