WikiLeaks Document Release
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS22579
February 2, 2009
Congressional Research Service
Report RS22579
District of Columbia Representation: Effect on House
Apportionment
Royce Crocker, Government and Finance Division
November 14, 2007
Abstract. A proposal (H.R. 1905/S. 1257) has been introduced in the 110th Congress to provide for voting
representation in the U.S. House of Representatives for the residents of the District of Columbia (DC). H.R.
1905/S. 1257, for purposes of voting representation, treats the District of Columbia as if it were a state, giving
a House seat to the District, but restricting it to a single seat under any future apportionments. The bills also
would increase the size of the House to 437 members from 435, and give the additional seat to the state of
Utah. This report shows the distribution of House seats based on the 2000 census for 435 seats and for 437
seats as specified in the proposal. The report also examines the impact of using the 2006 estimated population
to allocate the 437 seats, including the single seat provided to the District.
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http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS22579
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress
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A proposal (H.R. 1905/S. 1257) has been introduced in the 110th Congress to provide for voting
representation in the U.S. House of Representatives for the residents of the District of Columbia
(DC). H.R. 1905/S. 1257, for purposes of voting representation, treats the District of Columbia as
if it were a state, giving a House seat to the District, but restricting it to a single seat under any
future apportionments. The bills also would increase the size of the House to 437 members from
435, and give the additional seat to the state of Utah. This report shows the distribution of House
seats based on the 2000 census for 435 seats and for 437 seats as specified in the proposal. The
report also examines the impact of using the 2006 estimated population to allocate the 437 seats,
including the single seat provided to the District. This report will be updated as conditions
warrant.
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Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Adding New States and Seats to the House..................................................................................... 1
Congressional precedent ........................................................................................................... 1
Reapportionment Impact ................................................................................................................. 2
Table 1. Apportionment Impact of Alternative Plans for DC Voting Representation in the
House............................................................................................................................................ 2
Table 2. Population Needed to Gain or Lose a Seat Using the 2000 Census
Apportionment Population and a 435 Seat House........................................................................ 5
Table 3. Population Needed to Gain or Lose a Seat Using the 2000 Census
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS22579
Apportionment Population and a 437 Seat House........................................................................ 6
Author Contact Information ............................................................................................................ 7
H.R. 1905/S. 1257, the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007, would provide for
a permanent increase in the size of the U.S. House of Representatives, from 435 seats to 437
seats. The bills specify that one of the seats is to be allocated to the District of Columbia while the
other seat is to be assigned either by using the normal apportionment formula allocation
procedure (H.R. 1905) or specifying that the seat would be allocated to Utah, thus adding a fourth
seat (S. 1257). While both versions treat the District of Columbia as if it were a state for the
purposes of the allocation of House seats, each restricts the District of Columbia to a single
congressional seat under any future apportionments.
On April 19, 2007, the House approved H.R. 1905 (a revised version of H.R. 1433) by a vote of
241 to 177 (Roll Call vote 231) and sent it to the Senate for consideration.1 On June 28, 2007, S.
1257 was reported out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
with amendments. On September 18, 2007, cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration of
the measure was not invoked in the Senate on a Yea-Nay vote, 57 - 42, leaving the measure
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pending.
The 435 seat limit for the size of the House was imposed in 1929 by 46 Stat. 21, 26-27. Altering
the size of the House would require a new law setting a different limit. Article I, §2 of the
Constitution establishes a minimum House size (one Representative for each state), and a
maximum House size (one for every 30,000 persons, or 9,380 representatives based on the 2000
Census). In 2003, a House size of 473 would have resulted in no state losing seats held from the
103rd to the 107th Congresses. However, by retaining seats through an increase in the House size,
other state delegations would become larger. At a House size of 473, California's delegation size,
for example, would be 57 instead of 53 seats.
General congressional practice when admitting new states to the union has been to increase the
size of the House, either permanently or temporarily, to accommodate the new states. New states
usually resulted in additions to the size of the House in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The
exceptions to this general rule occurred when states were formed from other states (Maine,
Kentucky, and West Virginia). These states' Representatives came from the allocations of
Representatives of the states from which the new ones had been formed.
When Alaska and Hawaii were admitted in 1959 and 1960 the House size was temporarily
increased to 437. This modern precedent differed from the state admission acts passed following
the censuses in the 19th and early 20th centuries which provided that new state representatives
would be added to the apportionment totals.
1
See CRS Report RL33830, District of Columbia Voting Representation in Congress: An Analysis of Legislative
Proposals, by Eugene Boyd, esp. pp. 19-20., for a complete discussion.
The apportionment act of 1911 anticipated the admission of Arizona and New Mexico by
providing for an increase in the House size from 433 to 435 if the states were admitted.
As noted above, the House size was temporarily increased to 437 to accommodate Alaska and
Hawaii in 1960. In 1961, when the President reported the 1960 census results and the resulting
reapportionment of seats in the reestablished 435-seat House, Alaska was entitled to one seat, and
Hawaii to two seats. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Missouri each received one less seat than
they would have if the House size had been increased to 438 (as was proposed by H.R. 10264, in
1962).
Table 1 lists the actual apportionment allocations of Representatives based on the 2000 census for
435 seats and the apportionment that would occur as a result of the provisions of the proposed
legislation (i.e., 437 seats, DC allocated a seat and Utah allocated a seat). In addition, the
apportionment of 437 seats of the House of Representatives is shown based on the 2006 state
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population estimates and providing for a seat for the District of Columbia.
If the District of Columbia had been treated as a state in the reapportionment of congressional
seats following the 2000 census, and the House size had remained at 435, North Carolina would
have not gained an additional seat in comparison with the 1990s. The state's delegation would
have remained at 12 Representatives.
If the District of Columbia were to receive representation as if it were a state and the House size
were to be increased to 437, DC would be entitled to one Representative and Utah would be
entitled to four Representatives, one more than the state received in the reapportionment
following the 2000 census. No other state would be effected by the change. This is the impact that
the proponents of the proposed legislation hope to achieve.
If either of the pending bills are enacted and the most recent estimates of population of the states
are used as a projection for what might happen in the 2012 apportionment, the District would get
its seat and Utah would retain its fourth seat. However, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Nevada
would each pick up a seat, and Texas would be allocated an additional two seats. Iowa, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania would each lose a single seat. This is
primarily due to a change in state populations since the 2000 census.
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.pop tnem egnahc detamitsE egnahc -noitroppA
morf c.pop morf b.pop tnem
0002 0002
LA 031,164,4 LA 7 031,164,4 7 LA 033,695,4 7
KA 339,826 KA 1 339,826 1 KA 901,496 1
1 326,636 DN 1 657,346 DN 1 657,346 DN
31 328,543,9 CN 31 376,760,8 CN 31 376,760,8 aCN
1- 82 276,344,91 YN 92 379,400,91 YN 92 379,400,91 YN
3 522,089,1 MN 3 128,328,1 MN 3 128,328,1 MN
31 132,810,9 JN 31 453,424,8 JN 31 453,424,8 JN
2 065,583,1 HN 2 514,832,1 HN 2 514,832,1 HN
1+ 4 135,096,2 VN 3 230,200,2 VN 3 230,200,2 VN
3 799,867,1 EN 3 963,517,1 EN 3 963,517,1 EN
1 895,869 TM 1 613,509 TM 1 613,509 TM
9 870,229,5 OM 9 062,606,5 OM 9 062,606,5 OM
4 214,179,2 SM 4 729,258,2 SM 4 729,258,2 SM
8 636,024,5 NM 8 076,529,4 NM 8 076,529,4 NM
51 386,824,01 IM 51 928,559,9 IM 51 928,559,9 IM
1- 9 144,946,6 AM 01 865,553,6 AM 01 865,553,6 AM
8 079,409,5 DM 8 688,703,5 DM 8 688,703,5 DM
2 431,753,1 EM 2 137,772,1 EM 2 137,772,1 EM
1- 6 976,216,4 AL 7 172,084,4 AL 7 172,084,4 AL
6 711,562,4 YK 6 134,940,4 YK 6 134,940,4 YK
4 074,508,2 SK 4 428,396,2 SK 4 428,396,2 SK
1- 4 709,900,3 AI 5 329,139,2 AI 5 329,139,2 AI
9 931,293,6 NI 9 287,090,6 NI 9 287,090,6 NI
91 498,619,21 LI 91 240,934,21 LI 91 240,934,21 LI
2 192,715,1 DI 2 472,792,1 DI 2 472,792,1 DI
2 476,043,1 IH 2 246,612,1 IH 2 246,612,1 IH
1+ 41 080,985,9 AG 31 579,602,8 AG 31 579,602,8 AG
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1+ 62 196,152,91 LF 52 098,820,61 LF 52 098,820,61 LF
1 587,925 ED 1 860,587 ED 1 860,587 ED
1 243,488 CD 1+ 1 690,475 CD 0 690,475 aCD
5 094,775,3 TC 5 535,904,3 TC 5 535,904,3 TC
7 455,138,4 OC 7 288,113,4 OC 7 288,113,4 OC
35 431,760,83 AC 35 897,039,33 AC 35 897,039,33 AC
4 930,578,2 RA 4 337,976,2 RA 4 337,976,2 RA
1+ 9 183,736,6 ZA 8 386,041,5 ZA 8 386,041,5 ZA
0002 0002
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taes nwo nevig CD taes nwo nevig CD
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result in changes to the "populations needed to gain or lose a seat."
to allocate seats in the House uses all state populations simultaneously, changes in several state populations may also
state's population total would be adjusted without others changing as well. Since the method of equal proportions used
The figures in Table 2 for the "population needed to gain or lose a seat" are misleading because it is unlikely that one 2
(ending at 435), but the states that would just miss getting additional representation.2
House, but the tables illustrate not only the last seats assigned by the apportionment formula
allocate Representatives based on the 2000 Census. The law only provides for 435 seats in the
formula provided in 2 U.S.C. §2a.(a). Table 2 displays the end of the priority list that was used to
The actual apportionment is done through a "priority list" calculated using the equal proportions
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1 688,915 YW 1 403,594 YW 1 403,594 YW
8 624,727,5 IW 8 012,173,5 IW 8 012,173,5 IW
3 141,928,1 VW 3 770,318,1 VW 3 770,318,1 VW
9 369,145,6 AW 9 486,809,5 AW 9 486,809,5 AW
11 542,010,8 AV 11 207,001,7 AV 11 207,001,7 AV
1 215,256 TV 1 098,906 TV 1 098,906 TV
4 310,595,2 TU 1+ 4 417,632,2 TU 3 417,632,2 TU
2+ 43 888,846,42 XT 23 499,309,02 XT 23 499,309,02 XT
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9 258,032,6 NT 9 730,007,5 NT 9 730,007,5 NT
1 993,687 DS 1 478,657 DS 1 478,657 DS
6 407,644,4 CS 6 160,520,4 CS 6 160,520,4 CS
2 256,611,1 IR 2 266,940,1 IR 2 266,940,1 IR
1- 81 784,485,21 AP 91 076,003,21 AP 91 076,003,21 AP
5 699,097,3 RO 5 345,824,3 RO 5 345,824,3 RO
5 615,195,3 KO 5 918,854,3 KO 5 918,854,3 KO
1- 71 181,675,11 HO 81 045,473,11 HO 81 045,473,11 HO
0002 0002
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020,371+ 80.045,526 688,703,5 9 DM 054
563,901+ 33.369,526 345,824,3 6 RO 944
671,934+ 47.407,826 098,820,61 62 LF 844
738,092+ 40.110,136 076,003,21 02 AP 744
090,97+ 49.094,136 918,854,3 6 KO 644
696,901+ 98.200,336 012,173,5 9 IW 544
489,426+ 81.842,436 897,039,33 45 AC 444
367,53+ 77.339,736 729,258,2 5 SM 344
564,251+ 73.901,836 240,934,21 02 LI 244
861,8+ 70.551,046 613,509 2 TM 144
750,73+ 84.420,246 287,090,6 01 NI 044
198,05+ 26.546,246 928,559,9 61 IM 934
862,68+ 39.572,346 499,309,02 33 XT 834
542,74+ 09.823,446 379,400,91 03 YN 734
558+ 07.386,546 417,632,2 4 TU 634
wal yb dengissa taes tsaL
480,3- 46.039,546 376,760,8 31 CN 534
049,33- 02.033,646 897,039,33 35 AC 434
886,97- 41.932,056 045,473,11 81 HO 334
339,212- 56.673,456 098,820,61 52 LF 234
733,44- 18.795,556 329,139,2 5 AI 134
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS22579
683,241- 27.380,756 579,602,8 31 AG 034
418,39- 01.022,856 076,529,4 8 NM 924
156,976- 24.188,856 897,039,33 25 AC 824
054,721- 87.307,066 062,606,5 9 OM 724
915,765- 54.207,366 499,309,02 23 XT 624
588,953- 50.441,566 076,003,21 91 AP 524
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if DC is treated like state, as DC is entitled the constitutional minimum of one Representative.
instead of 435. The priority values and the population needed to gain or lose a seat do not change
Table 3 is similar to Table 2, in that it displays the end of the priority list, but the last seat is 437
477,116+ 81.842,436 897,039,33 45 AC 544
956,43+ 77.339,736 729,258,2 5 SM 444
156,741+ 73.901,836 240,934,21 02 LI 344
918,7+ 70.551,046 613,509 2 TM 244
417,43+ 84.420,246 287,090,6 01 NI 144
660,74+ 26.546,246 928,559,9 61 IM 044
342,87+ 39.572,346 499,309,02 33 XT 934
169,93+ 09.823,446 379,400,91 03 YN 834
dengissa taes tsaL
396,4- 07.386,546 417,632,2 4 TU 734
600,02- 46.039,546 376,760,8 31 CN 634
360,501- 02.033,646 897,039,33 35 AC 534
783,301- 41.932,056 045,473,11 81 HO 434
911,642- 56.673,456 098,820,61 52 LF 334
693,05- 18.795,556 329,139,2 5 AI 234
803,951- 27.380,756 579,602,8 31 AG 134
259,301- 01.022,856 076,529,4 8 NM 034
024,947- 24.188,856 897,039,33 25 AC 924
649,831- 87.307,066 062,606,5 9 OM 824
091,016- 54.207,366 499,309,02 23 XT 724
049,483- 50.441,566 076,003,21 91 AP 624
251,631- 76.733,566 288,113,4 7 OC 524
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rcrocker@crs.loc.gov, 7-7871
Specialist in American National Government
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS22579
Royce Crocker
.2 elbaT fo dne seton eeS
310,801+ 33.369,526 345,824,3 6 RO 054
088,234+ 47.407,826 098,820,61 62 LF 944
320,682+ 40.110,136 076,003,21 02 AP 844
737,77+ 49.094,136 918,854,3 6 KO 744
006,701+ 98.200,336 012,173,5 9 IW 644
noitalupop
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