Sen. Cruz, Rep. Johnson Remind President Biden’s Commission He Has No Authority to Pack Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today sent a letter to President Biden's new Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, reminding the commission that Congress has exclusive authority to amend or preserve the U.S. Supreme Court, and criticizing President Biden for establishing the commission just to appease the most radical members of his base. Last week, Sen. Cruz remarked on the commission's first meeting, urging it to abandon President Biden's radical agenda and "defend the independence of the Supreme Court and prevent the court from being used as a partisan weapon."

Sen. Cruz has long led the fight to protect the independence of the judiciary. In February, he introduced the "Keep Nine" constitutional amendment - legislation backed by 18 Senators and 173 Members of the House of Representatives - to prevent the expansion or contraction of the Supreme Court, and a second legislative proposal that would stop Democrats from unilaterally passing any Court-packing legislation in the United States Senate. Sen. Cruz previously introduced these proposals in October 2020.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote:

"Despite the President's inability to alter the Supreme Court, President Biden established your commission to pacify the far left. We write to remind you that Article III, Section 1 states ‘The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.' As such, Congress retains exclusive authority to amend or preserve the Supreme Court."

WATCH: Exposed: Democrats' Radical Power Plot

Read the full text of the letter here and below.

May 24, 2020

Commissioner Bob Bauer
Cristina Rodriguez
Co-Chair
Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court
of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

Commissioner Cristina Rodriguez
Co-Chair
Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court
of the United States
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Commissioner Bauer and Commissioner Rodriquez,

Despite the President's inability to alter the Supreme Court, President Biden established your commission to pacify the far left. We write to remind you that Article III, Section 1 states "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." As such, Congress retains exclusive authority to amend or preserve the Supreme Court.

We would like to remind you of the growing congressional momentum currently backing S.J. Res. 9 and H.J.Res.11 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that the Supreme Court of the United States be composed of nine justices.

Our resolution has gained significant momentum in both Chambers, with 18 Senators and 173 Members of the House signed on as cosponsors. Please see below for all Members of Congress who have pledged their support for this resolution:

Sen. Roger Wicker [R-MS]; Sen. John Barrasso [R-WY]; Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN]; Sen. John Boozman [R-AR]; Sen. Mike Braun [R-IN]; Sen. Bill Cassidy [R-LA]; Sen. Tom Cotton [R-AR]; Sen. Steve Daines [R-MT]; Sen. Joni Ernst [R-IA]; Sen. Chuck Grassley [R-IA]; Sen. Bill Hagerty [R-TN]; Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith [R-MS]; Sen. James M. Inhofe [R-OK]; Sen. John Kennedy [R-LA]; Sen. Mike Lee [R-UT]; Sen. Roger W. Marshall [R-KS]; Sen. Rob Portman [R-OH]; Sen. Thom Tillis [R-NC]; Rep. Robert Aderholt [AL-04]; Rep. Rick Allen [GA-12]; Rep. Mark Amodei [NV-2]; Rep. Kelly Armstrong [ND-AL]; Rep. Jodey Arrington [TX-19]; Rep. Brian Babin [TX-36]; Rep. Don Bacon [NE-02]; Rep. Jim Baird [IN-04]; Rep. Troy Balderson [R-OH]; Rep. Jim Banks [IN-3]; Rep. Andy Barr [KY-06]; Rep. Cliff Bentz [OR-02]; Rep. Jack Bergman [MI-01]; Rep. Stephanie Bice [OK-05]; Rep. Andy Biggs [AZ-05]; Rep. Gus Bilirakis [FL-12]; Rep. Dan Bishop [NC-9]; Rep. Lauren Boebert [CO-03]; Rep. Kevin Brady [TX-8]; Rep. Mo Brooks [AL-05]; Rep. Ken Buck [CO-04]; Rep. Larry Bucshon [IN-8]; Rep. Ted Budd [NC-13]; Rep. Tim Burchett [TN-02]; Rep. Ken Calvert [CA-42]; Rep. Kat Cammack [FL-03]; Rep. Jerry Carl [AL-01]; Rep. Buddy Carter [GA-01]; Rep. Madison Cawthorn [NC-11]; Rep. Steve Chabot [OH-1]; Rep. Ben Cline [VA-06]; Rep. Tom Cole [OK-04]; Rep. James Comer [KY-1]; Rep. Dan Crenshaw [TX-02]; Rep. John Curtis [R-UT]; Rep. Warren Davidson [OH-08]; Rep. Rodney Davis [IL-13]; Rep. Scott DesJarlais [TN-04]; Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart [FL-25]; Rep. Byron Donalds [FL-19]; Rep. Jeff Duncan [SC-03]; Rep. Neal Dunn [FL-02]; Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar [FL-27]; Rep. Ron Estes [KS-4]; Rep. Pat Fallon [TX-4]; Rep. Randy Feenstra [IA-4]; Rep. Drew Ferguson [GA-3]; Rep. Michelle Fischbach [MN-07]; Rep. Scott Fitzgerald [WI-05]; Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick [PA-01]; Rep. Chuck Fleischmann [TN-03]; Rep. Jeff Fortenberry [NE-1]; Rep. Virginia Foxx [NC-05]; Rep. Scott Franklin [FL-15]; Rep. Russ Fulcher [ID-01]; Rep. Andrew Garbarino [NY-02]; Rep. Mike Garcia [CA-25]; Rep. Bob Gibbs [OH-07]; Rep. Carlos Gimenez [FL-26]; Rep. Louie Gohmert [TX-01]; Rep. Bob Good [VA-05]; Rep. Lance Gooden [TX-5]; Rep. Paul Gosar [AZ-04]; Rep. Kay Granger [TX-12]; Rep. Garret Graves [LA-06]; Rep. Sam Graves [MO-06]; Rep. Mark Green [TN-7]; Rep. Glenn Grothman [WI-06]; Rep. Michael Guest [MS-03]; Rep. Brett Guthrie [KY-2]; Rep. Jim Hagedorn [MN-1]; Rep. Andy Harris [MD-01]; Rep. Diana Harshbarger [TN-1]; Rep. Vicky Hartzler [MO-4]; Rep. Kevin Hern [OK-1]; Rep. Yvette Herrell [NM-02]; Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler [WA-03]; Rep. Jody Hice [GA-10]; Rep.Clay Higgins [LA-03; ]Rep. French Hill [AR-2]; Rep. Ashley Hinson [IA-01]; Rep. Trey Hollingsworth [IN-09]; Rep. Richard Hudson [NC-08]; Rep. Darrell Issa [CA-50]; Rep. Ronny Jackson [TX-13]; Rep. Chris Jacobs [NY-27]; Rep. Mike Johnson [LA-04]; Rep. Bill Johnson [OH-6]; Rep. David Joyce [OH-14]; Rep. John Joyce [PA-13]; Rep. John Katko [NY-24]; Rep. Fred Keller [PA-12]; Rep. Mike Kelly [PA-16]; Rep. Trent Kelly [MS-1]; Rep. Young Kim [CA-39]; Rep. David Kustoff [TN-08]; Rep. Darin LaHood [IL-18]; Rep. Doug LaMalfa [CA-01]; Rep. Doug Lamborn [CO-05]; Rep. Robert Latta [OH-05]; Rep. Jake LaTurner [KS-02]; Rep. Debbie Lesko [AZ-08]; Rep. Julia Letlow [LA-05]; Rep. Billy Long [MO-07]; Rep. Barry Loudermilk [GA-11]; Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer [MO-3]; Rep. Nancy Mace [SC-1]; Rep. Nicole Malliotakis [NY-11]; Rep. Tracey Mann [KS-01]; Rep. Lisa McClain [MI-10]; Rep. Tom McClintock [CA-4]; Rep. Patrick McHenry [NC-10]; Rep. David McKinley [WV-01]; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [WA-5]; Rep. Peter Meijer [MI-03]; Rep. Dan Meuser [PA-09]; Rep. Carol Miller [WV-03]; Rep. Mary Miller [IL-15]; Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks [IA-02]; Rep. John Moolenaar [MI-04]; Rep. Alex Mooney [WV-2]; Rep. Barry Moore [AL-02]; Rep. Markwayne Mullin [OK-02]; Rep. Greg Murphy [NC-3]; Rep. Ralph Norman [SC-5]; Rep. Burgess Owens [UT-04]; Rep. Steven Palazzo [MS-4]; Rep. Gary Palmer [AL-06]; Rep. Scott Perry [PA-10]; Rep. August Pfluger [TX-11]; Rep. Bill Posey [FL-08]; Rep. Tom Reed [NY-23]; Rep. Guy Reschenthaler [PA-14]; Rep. Tom Rice [SC-07]; Rep. Mike Rogers [AL-3]; Rep. Hal Rogers [KY-5]; Rep. John Rose [TN-06]; Rep. David Rouzer [NC-7]; Rep. John Rutherford [FL-4]; Rep. David Schweikert [AZ-06]; Rep. Austin Scott [GA-08]; Rep. Mike Simpson [ID-02]; Rep. Adrian Smith [NE-03]; Rep. Jason Smith [MO-08]; Rep. Victoria Spartz [IN-5]; Rep. Pete Stauber [MN-8]; Rep. Michelle Steel [CA-48]; Rep. Elise Stefanik [NY-21]; Rep. Greg Steube [FL-17]; Rep. Chris Stewart [UT-02]; Rep. Steve Stivers [OH-15]; Rep. Van Taylor [TX-03]; Rep. Claudia Tenney [NY-22]; Rep. G.T. Thompson [PA-15]; Rep. Thomas Tiffany [WI-07]; Rep. William Timmons [SC-04]; Rep. Michael Turner [OH-10]; Rep. Fred Upton [MI-6]; Rep. David Valadao [CA-21]; Rep. Jeff Van Drew [NJ-02]; Rep. Beth Van Duyne [TX-24]; Rep. Ann Wager [MO-02]; Rep. Tim Walberg [MI-7]; Rep. Jackie Walorski [IN-2]; Rep. Michael Waltz [FL-06]; Rep. Randy Weber [TX-14]; Rep. Daniel Webster [FL-11]; Rep. Brad Wenstrup [OH-2]; Rep. Roger Williams [TX-25]; Rep. Joe Wilson [SC-2]; Rep. Robert Wittman [VA-1]; Rep. Steve Womack [AR-3]; Rep. Lee Zeldin [NY-1].

Sincerely,

/s/

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