Sponsor
Al Green
Representative · D-TX
Representative · D-TX
Expanding the Supreme Court to thirteen justices could relieve caseloads and broaden judicial perspectives, but it carries high risks of politicizing the judiciary, eroding public trust, and adding ongoing federal costs.
All Americans, including taxpayers: Filling four new Supreme Court seats could introduce more diverse viewpoints on the Court, affecting long-run legal interpretations and the ideological balance of major rulings.
All Americans, including taxpayers: Expanding the Court from nine to thirteen justices could increase judicial capacity and help reduce caseload bottlenecks, speeding disposition of cases.
All Americans, including taxpayers: Expanding the Court could be used for immediate political advantage, changing judicial outcomes on major rights and policy issues in ways tied to current political control.
All Americans, including taxpayers: Rapidly changing the Court's size risks institutional instability and could diminish public confidence in the judiciary's impartiality.
Taxpayers and federal employees: Adding four justices increases recurring federal costs (salaries, staff, benefits) and long-term budgetary obligations.
Based on analysis of 1 section of legislative text.
Revises 28 U.S.C. § 1 to increase the statutory number of Supreme Court Justices, enlarging the Court’s authorized composition.
Amends the federal statute that sets the size of the Supreme Court by changing the statutory language to authorize twelve Justices instead of the current statutory phrasing. The one-sentence amendment replaces the words that currently specify the number of Justices, increasing the court’s authorized composition; it is a textual change to 28 U.S.C. § 1 and does not include funding, timelines, or implementing agencies.
Official title: Representative Green's Original Legislation to increase from 9 to 13 the number of justices of the Supreme Court.
Introduced May 4, 2026 by Al Green · Last progress May 4, 2026