This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to base the apportionment of U.S. Representatives on the number of citizens in each state. It requires ratification within seven years to become effective.
Warren Davidson
Representative
OH-8
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to change how the population is counted for the purpose of allocating representatives to each state. Instead of counting all persons residing in a state, only the number of citizens would be counted. To be added to the constitution, the states must ratify this amendment within seven years.
New Bill Proposes Counting Only Citizens for Congressional Seats: Ratification Needed in 7 Years
This proposed Constitutional amendment, dropped on our desks, wants to change who gets counted when figuring out how many House seats each state gets. Instead of counting everyone, like we do now, it would only count U.S. citizens.
Citizen-Centric Seating
This bill is pretty straightforward: it shifts the basis of representation in the House from all persons to only citizens. Right now, under the 14th Amendment, congressional districts are drawn based on total population, regardless of citizenship status. This new rule would exclude non-citizens from that count, potentially altering the balance of power in Congress. Section 2 of the bill gives states seven years to ratify this amendment. If it doesn't get the green light from enough states in that time, it's a no-go.
Real-World Rumble
So, what does this mean for everyday folks? Imagine a state like California or Texas, with large non-citizen populations. Fewer people counted could mean fewer representatives in Congress, and potentially less federal funding for things like schools, roads, and hospitals. For instance, a construction worker in a booming city might see fewer infrastructure projects if their state's representation shrinks. Or a small business owner might find fewer federal resources available, which directly depend on population numbers.
It could also incentivize states to get stricter about checking who's a citizen. While the bill doesn't spell out how states should count citizens, the stakes are higher now to get that number right – and potentially higher to challenge it. It's not hard to see how this could lead to tougher verification processes, impacting both citizens and non-citizens alike.
The Bigger Picture
This amendment touches on a fundamental question: who should representation really serve? By tying representation directly to citizenship, the bill redefines 'the people' in 'We the People.' This shift could not only impact the political power of different states but also affect how communities with many non-citizens are represented and served at the federal level. It's a change that could reshape the political landscape, affecting everything from local services to national policy debates.