Calhoun County (Ala.) Journal
U.S. Senators Introduce Equal Representation Act to Address Census
By Lee Evancho
Washington D.C. – In a recent bipartisan effort, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) joined forces with Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and 19 other colleagues to introduce the Equal Representation Act. The proposed legislation aims to address concerns related to the current census methodology, particularly the inclusion of illegal aliens in the count for Congressional District and Electoral College apportionment.
The key focus of the bill is to ensure that only legal citizens are considered in the calculation of representation, thereby eliminating potential incentives for open borders. The sponsors of the Equal Representation Act argue that the current practice of counting illegal aliens can lead to a distortion of political power by favoring states and voters that attract mass illegal migration.
For instance, it is noted that California, a sanctuary state with an estimated two million illegal aliens, currently benefits from additional congressional seats and Electoral College votes due to the inclusion of this population in the census count. Critics of the existing system argue that this can effectively disenfranchise American citizens by providing disproportionate representation based on the presence of non-citizens.
Senator Katie Britt emphasized the bill’s intent, stating, “This bill is a commonsense measure to ensure that the census and apportionment process does not incentivize and encourage mass illegal migration.” She expressed gratitude to Senator Hagerty for introducing the legislation and pledged to continue advocating for the prioritization of American citizens in the political process.
The Equal Representation Act, among its provisions:
1. Citizenship Question on Census: Requires the Census Bureau to include a citizenship question on future censuses to provide a clearer understanding of the U.S. population and to distinguish between citizens and non-citizens for apportionment purposes.
2. Exclusion of Non-Citizens: Prohibits non-citizens from being counted for congressional district and Electoral College apportionment.
3. Public Reporting: Mandates that the Census Bureau publicly report certain demographic data, promoting transparency in the census and apportionment process.
Senator Britt is joined by a group of bipartisan cosponsors, including Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.Dak.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), John Thune (R-S.Dak.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).
As the debate on the Equal Representation Act unfolds, the senators seek to address concerns about the potential impact of counting illegal aliens on the democratic representation of American citizens. The proposed legislation’s provisions, if enacted, would significantly alter the current approach to census methodology and representation in Congress.