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Congress Proposes Study to Increase the Number of Members in the House of Representatives

House Expansion Commission Act

11 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Key Points

  • This bill would create a special group of 13 experts to study whether the House of Representatives should have more members. Since 1929, the number of representatives has been stuck at 435, even though the U.S. population has tripled since then.
  • The commission will look at how adding more members could help representatives better serve their communities. Currently, each member represents about 800,000 people, which is a much larger group than representatives had to manage in the past.
  • The group will investigate the costs and logistics of an expansion, such as where new members would sit, how they would vote, and how much it would cost to hire more staff and build more offices in the Capitol.
  • The commission must finish its study and give a report to the President and Congress within two years. This report will include specific plans for how to grow the House and solve any practical problems that might come with it.
  • The 13 members of the commission will be chosen by leaders from both parties in the House and Senate. To keep the study neutral, the members cannot be current politicians, but they must be experts in things like government, math, or statistics.
Economy Finance

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Apr 9, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

4 articles
Washington Post·11 months ago

To Accommodate House Expansion, Congress Should Modernize its Infrastructure

Norman Ornstein and Drew Penrose argue that expanding the House of Representatives is logistically feasible if Congress modernizes its infrastructure. They suggest reconfiguring Capitol Hill space to accommodate more members, addressing a key concern of the House Expansion Commission Act.

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Lansing State Journal·11 months ago

Rep. Haley Stevens introduces bill to study expanding the House of Representatives

Michigan Representative Haley Stevens introduced the House Expansion Commission Act, which would create a 13-member panel to evaluate increasing the number of House seats beyond 435. Stevens argues the move is necessary to ensure adequate representation as the U.S. population continues to grow.

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The Hill·11 months ago

The Case for a Larger House: Why Some Lawmakers Want to End the 435-Member Cap

A new push led by Rep. Haley Stevens seeks to establish a commission to study the first expansion of the House of Representatives in nearly a century. Proponents say it would bring members closer to constituents, while critics worry about increased costs and legislative gridlock.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

House Expansion Commission Act

Bill NumberHR 2797
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 2

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.