Congressional Apportionment Amendment

Congressional Apportionment Amendment ratification map

Congressional Apportionment Amendment

The Congressional Apportionment Amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. It was the first of the original twelve amendments proposed by the 1st United States Congress in 1789, ten of which were ratified and became known as the Bill of Rights. The amendment sought to establish a formula for determining the appropriate size of the United States House of Representatives based on the population of the states.

Text of the Amendment[edit | edit source]

The text of the Congressional Apportionment Amendment reads as follows:

"After the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor less than one Representative for every forty thousand persons, until the number of Representatives shall amount to two hundred; after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall not be less than two hundred Representatives, nor more than one Representative for every fifty thousand persons."

Historical Context[edit | edit source]

The amendment was part of a broader effort to address concerns about adequate representation in the new federal government. The Articles of Confederation had provided for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, but the Constitutional Convention of 1787 created a bicameral legislature with representation in the House based on population.

Ratification Process[edit | edit source]

The Congressional Apportionment Amendment was approved by the required two-thirds majority in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives on September 25, 1789. It was then sent to the states for ratification. As of today, the amendment has not been ratified by the required number of states to become part of the Constitution.

Current Status[edit | edit source]

Although the amendment has not been ratified, it remains technically pending before the states. The issue of congressional apportionment continues to be relevant, particularly in the context of the United States Census and the subsequent redistricting process.