The size of the U.S. House of Representatives doesn't get the attention that it deserves when Americans think about the problems our political system faces, but it's been frozen at 435 members for over a century even though the nation's population has since grown nearly fourfold. One congressman, however, believes it's an important reason why the federal government doesn't represent its citizens as well as it should, and he has a plan to fix it.
Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer is a Democrat who has represented the Portland area in the House since 1996, with a particular focus on political reforms, climate issues, and transportation policy. He recently introduced a bill that would enlarge the House from its current 435 members to 585 members after the next census in 2030. We previously detailed how the bill would work after it was introduced, and we recently spoke with the congressman to ask him why he thinks the size of the House must increase, what he hopes to accomplish with his bill, and what it might take for such legislation to pass.
A lightly edited version of our conversation is presented below. Blumenauer explains that a larger House could improve the quality of representation and increase constituents' access to their elected officials by reducing the number each member serves. He also notes that it could increase the diversity of interests represented in Congress, make it easier for newcomers to get elected, reduce the cost of campaigning for individual candidates, and yield other benefits as well.
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