A Republican bill with 20 Republican cosponsors · See all 20 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Equal Representation Act aims to change how the population is counted and how political power is distributed. It requires the decennial census to include a checkbox asking if respondents and their household members are United States citizens. This bill also mandates that the Secretary make the number of citizens and noncitizens in each State public after the census. Furthermore, it changes the rules for apportioning Representatives and Electoral votes so they are based on the number of citizens rather than all individuals. These changes would apply to the 2030 census and all future decennial censuses.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this make elections run better?
The bill increases political transparency by providing specific data on citizen vs noncitizen populations.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
It mandates public reporting of citizenship statistics by State.
- Scored +4
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Rural areas often have higher proportions of citizens, potentially gaining more relative political influence.
The opposite· 3 of 5
- Scored -7
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill targets noncitizens for exclusion from political apportionment and requires disclosure of status.
- Scored -6
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
The focus on citizenship status often disproportionately affects communities with higher immigrant populations.
- Scored -5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Redistributing political power away from populations with more noncitizens could reduce their political influence.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Transparency of Population Data: The bill requires the Secretary to make the number of citizens and noncitizens per State publicly available within 120 days after the census is completed (Section 2). This provides specific, disaggregated data to the public regarding the citizenship makeup of each State.
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Changes to Political Apportionment: The bill modifies the way Representatives and Electoral votes are distributed by excluding noncitizens from the count used for apportionment (Section 3). This shifts the basis of representation to be based on the number of United States citizens.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased Burden of Census Questionnaires: The bill requires the Secretary to include a checkbox or similar option for respondents to indicate the citizenship status of themselves and every member of their household (Section 2).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Rural areas often have higher proportions of citizens, potentially gaining more relative political influence. Would white Americans be better off under this? — The bill shifts political power towards populations with higher concentrations of citizens, often benefiting this demographic. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill targets noncitizens for exclusion from political apportionment and requires disclosure of status. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The focus on citizenship status often disproportionately affects communities with higher immigrant populations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Redistributing political power away from populations with more noncitizens could reduce their political influence. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Urban areas often have higher noncitizen populations, which would lose political weight under this bill.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make elections run better? — The bill increases political transparency by providing specific data on citizen vs noncitizen populations. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — It mandates public reporting of citizenship statistics by State. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill requires individuals to disclose their citizenship status on a government questionnaire.
- 11/19/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/29/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 18 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama
Mike CrapoRepublican · Idaho
Kevin CramerRepublican · North Dakota
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
John HoevenRepublican · North Dakota
Ron JohnsonRepublican · Wisconsin
James JusticeRepublican · West Virginia
Cynthia LummisRepublican · Wyoming
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah
Roger MarshallRepublican · Kansas
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Ashley MoodyRepublican · Florida
James RischRepublican · Idaho
Pete RickettsRepublican · Nebraska
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida
Eric SchmittRepublican · Missouri
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama