[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E80-E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTRODUCING THE CONGRESS 2006 COMMISSION ACT

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2003

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Congress 2006 Commission Act. My bill establishes a congressional 
commission to examine the current size of the U.S. House of 
Representatives and recommend to this body, if applicable, a size 
increase. Additionally, the Commission is directed to examine and 
consider alternatives to the current method by which Representatives 
are elected. Methods such as cumulative voting and proportional 
representation would, without doubt, result in a more diverse House of 
Representatives, as well as greater participation in the legislative 
process by Americans of all shapes, colors, and backgrounds.
  Under the Constitution, the size of the House of Representatives can 
be as small as 50 Representatives and as large as one Representative 
per 30,000 people, or the equivalent to 9,380 Members, based on the 
2000

[[Page E81]]

Census. In fact, every decade from 1790 to 1910, following the release 
of the census, the House of Representatives passed apportionment acts, 
increasing the size of the House to reflect population increases as 
well as the introduction of new States to the Union. The current House 
size of 435 was established in 1911. Congress passed a law in 1929, 
setting the size limit at 435. The House's size was temporarily 
increased to 436 in 1959, and 437 in 1960, when Alaska and Hawaii were 
admitted to the Union, respectively. But in 1961, the size of the House 
was reapportioned back to 435.
  In the past 90 years, U.S. population has more than tripled, but the 
size of the House of Representatives has remained the same. In the past 
90 years, four States have joined the Union, but the size of the House 
of Representatives has remained the same. In the past 90 years, the 
United States has become the second most underrepresented democracy in 
the entire world, but the size of the House of Representatives has 
remained the same. In fact in the past 90 years, Congress has addressed 
permanently increasing the size of the House of Representatives only 
once.
  When I was first elected in 1992, I represented roughly 589,000 South 
Floridians. Today, each of us now represents nearly 663,000 or 12.5 
percent more people than 10 years ago. In 1982, each Member of the 
House represented about 534,000 and in 1972, the number was a mere 
482,000 or 38 percent fewer people than today. This means that we 
represent well over 100,000 more people today than did our 
predecessors--and some Members still serving today--20 years ago. 
Frankly, at some point Members in this body are going to have to accept 
reality and begin asking, ``As Representatives, are we as effective 
today as the Representatives of the 1970s when they had fewer people to 
represent?''
  Mr. Speaker, the 108th Congress is the third Congress that I have 
introduced this legislation, and in light of the 2000 biennial census, 
it is clear that, to better serve our constituents, we should represent 
fewer. Indeed, the effect that an increase in the size of the House of 
Representatives will have on the American political system is obvious. 
Increasing the size of the House will result in a reduced amount of 
campaign spending, smaller congressional districts, more personal 
interaction between Members of Congress and their constituents, and 
most importantly, better representation for the American people.
  I ask my colleagues for their support and cosponsorship of this bill, 
and I urge the leadership to bring it to the floor for an immediate 
vote.

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