Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) Introduces Bill to Make Sure Every Michigander Has a Voice in the Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) introduced the House Expansion Commission Act to commission a study that will make sure every Michigander has a voice in the Congress. As our country has grown, our Congress has not kept up and it means too few lawmakers are advocating for Michiganders. The bill would establish a commission to study expanding the number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives to ensure every American has adequate representation in the Congress as our framers intended.

“At the heart of our democracy is the principle that every citizen’s voice matters. But the size of current Congressional districts is far bigger than what our framers intended. That’s why I am proud to introduce the House Expansion Commission Act, to make sure every Michigander has adequate representation in the Congress,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “By establishing a commission to study and recommend solutions for expanding the House, we are taking action to ensure that every voice, in every corner of this nation, is heard and represented. It is time to modernize our system to reflect our nation’s diversity and growth, and this bill will help guide us in that direction.”

“America’s founders were great innovators, and they wanted each generation to improve their system of government. In this moment of uncertainty and historic distrust in government, Congress should consider innovations to become more effective at meeting the needs of the American people,” said Dustin Wahl, Executive Director of Fix our House. “Expanding the number of seats in Congress could be one way to do that, by making members more responsive to their constituents, better representing our communities, and bringing the first branch of government more into line with founding principles. We at Fix Our House thank Rep. Stevens for her leadership on this issue."

"Our country is in great need of election reforms that give voters more choice and greater say and bring our elected officials closer to the people they represent," said Meredith Sumpter, president and CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections. "The House Expansion Commission Act is a valuable way to explore one of these potential reforms. We thank Rep. Stevens for her leadership in advancing this important conversation."

“The framers intended the House to grow with the nation,” said Drew Penrose, policy strategist at Protect Democracy, “and until 1929, the norm was to add members after every census. Our 2024 report— WhereWillTheyAllSit.org — explored how to modernize the Capitol Campus for a larger House, showing not only that expansion is possible, but that it could lead to a more efficient and effective Congress.”

“For nearly a century, the size of the House of Representatives has remained frozen at 435 members – even as our population has grown by hundreds of millions,” said Stand Up America Executive Director, Christina Harvey, “The House Expansion Commission Act is an important step toward modernizing our democracy. By examining whether expansion is needed, this bill will help us understand how Congress can better reflect the size, diversity, and needs of today’s America. We applaud Rep. Stevens for her innovation and leadership in tackling this long-overdue issue.”

This legislation is endorsed by FairVote and Stand Up America.

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