As the nation's population grew over the decades, and as the number of states also increased, so did the size of the House.

• 142 seats in the census of 1800

• 182 seats in the census of 1810

• By 1912, the House had grown to 435 seats

​By 1920, the House found itself in a difficult position, with the growth in numbers making it too difficult to operate.

To reapportion without adding more seats, it meant states would have to lose seats.

• ​Reapportionment Act of 1929
  Faced with the 1930 census, Congress avoided repeating its earlier lapse by passing the Reapportionment Act of 1929.

• That law, still on the books, sets up what is often called an “automatic reapportionment.”

• It provides:

  • • The “permanent” size of the House is 435 members. Of course, that figure is permanent only so long as Congress does not decide to change it. Congress did enlarge the House temporarily in 1959 when Alaska and then Hawaii became States. Today each of the 435 seats in the House represents an average of over 700,000 persons. • Following each census, the Census Bureau is to determine the number of seats each State should have