The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, yet the number 435 never appears in the Constitution. Historically, as the nation’s population grew, so too did the House membership. But over the years, the American tradition of increasing the size of the people’s House has fallen into obscurity.
Protect Democracy and POPVOX Foundation set out to answer a simple and important question: If we revitalize the American tradition of expanding the House of Representatives, where would the new members sit, and what physical changes to the Capitol Campus would be necessary?
We worked with a design firm to render what the Capitol Campus of tomorrow could look like—a hopeful and realistic vision of the future that is rooted in tradition. Those taking up the mantle of modernizing the House can use these architectural renderings to think beyond minor adjustments to rooms and the House floor to more ambitious improvements to the space.
How we got here
The number 435 is arbitrary—it was the number of Members of Congress determined to be appropriate after the 1910 census. Since then, the population has more than tripled, yet the House has remained at 435 voting members. Today, the average Member of Congress represents about 760,000 people. The House was intended to grow as the nation grew, and its stasis has led to a capacity crunch that makes the need for modernization clear.
Current challenges
The frozen size of the House in the face of a growing population and a massive growth in the federal government has led to a serious capacity crunch. The House needs to modernize — both in terms of physical space and legislative capacity — to meet the needs of the 21st century and beyond. Recent modernization efforts have made important incremental changes, but more needs to be done, especially if the House expands again.
The Capitol Campus of Tomorrow
If Congress were to add an additional 150 members to the House of Representatives beginning with the 2032 elections, where would they all sit? Likewise, if Congress were to adopt modernization efforts consistent with a possible future increase in membership, what should it do?
To answer these questions, we partnered with Firsthand, a team of designers and social scientists, as well as architect Alexandre Khoury, and engaged a variety of experts and stakeholders on the Hill to develop seven key recommendations on how the Capitol Campus needs to be updated—both for the 21st century and more Representatives.
1. Constructing a new House Office Building
The most critical recommendation is the construction of a new House Office Building, at the site of the former O’Neill House Office Building (demolished in 2002 and currently a parking lot). A new, modern House Office Building could set a new standard for a federal workplace, providing space for more members and staff, with better security, accessibility, and functionality.
2. Adding seating to the House chamber
The House chamber itself would need fewer changes than might be expected. The room already holds up to 450 members, and a mezzanine level could be added for additional seating, including stairways within the room itself to ensure connectivity and easy accessibility.
3. Improving functional outdoor spaces
A substantial amount of space across the Capitol Campus is already underutilized, particularly in courtyards and other green spaces. These spaces can easily be refashioned to provide protection from the elements, as well as privacy, so that they can be used for convenings and semi-private meetings.
4. Adding flexible coworking spaces
Member offices are often crowded, isolating for staff, and lacking functionality. Coworking spaces with multiple uses—including working, socializing, eating, and holding private calls or meetings—would alleviate space constraints while fostering a more collaborative and dynamic work environment.
5. Building an east-west elevated pathway
Staff working in two lower campus House Office Buildings are isolated by the lack of connectivity to the upper Capitol Campus. This elevated walkway between them would create a more integrated and efficient workplace.
6. Designing more flexible office suites
Member offices must serve multiple functions, yet they lack flexibility. Even without moving walls, the three room suites used by Representatives and their staff can be made modular through some creative rearrangement and the use of retractable monitors and desks.
7. Improving wayfinding and accessibility
House Office Buildings and the tunnels beneath them have confusing corridors and poor signage, making navigation difficult. Modern technology can help improve navigation by projecting wayfinding maps and signage.
Advocates for adding Representatives to the House have typically glossed over the issue of physical space—quite literally, where will new Representatives sit? This disconnect obscures the significant overlap between the potential benefits of adding Representatives to the House and the current need to modernize the Capitol Campus.
This report, in answering the question of how we might physically fit more Representatives into the Capitol Campus, illustrates how the same changes needed to expand the House are those that can modernize Congress to meet the demands of today.
How We Got Here
This history of how the House membership became frozen at 435
Photo credits from top: The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon Historical Photograph Collection; Architect of the Capitol; all renderings created by Firsthand.
| |||
©2024, Protect Democracy and POPVOX Foundation. Terms and conditions
Built with Shorthand