WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., announced that he is supporting a constitutional amendment to limit the Supreme Court of the United States to nine justices.

The Supreme Court has had nine seats since 1869.

“The job of a Supreme Court justice is to act as a neutral umpire who applies the law, including the Constitution, as written,” said Toomey.

“Far-left Democrats who are struggling to find mainstream support for some of their more outlandish ideas believe that a way to circumvent the will of Congress is to expand the size of the Court and fill the newly created vacancies with activist jurists who will essentially act as super legislators,” the senator explained. “It is unfortunate that a constitutional amendment is even necessary in this instance, but protecting the legitimacy of the Supreme Court as an independent branch of government is essential.”

This constitutional amendment (S.J. Res. 4) was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). It is also being supported by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).