The majority, in an opinion authored by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, began by reaffirming City of Boerne v. Flores (1997), which was the first case to set down the "congruence and proportionality" requirement for laws enacted under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The majority's decision, written by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, reaffirmed City of Boerne v. Flores (1997) as the initial ruling that established the "proportionality test" for laws passed under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which deals with issues of civil rights.