Apportionment or apportionment by population is a concept in United States law of allocating representatives or taxes among the US states. Apportionment is based on the United States Census taken every ten years. Seats in the United States House of Representatives are then apportioned among the states. Each state gets a number of seats based on its population (the minimum is one seat). Congress enacted new apportionment legislation following every census until the mid-20th century. Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires that direct taxes be apportioned among the states by population. Apportionment by population proved to be a nearly impossible, uneven and unfair requirement for collecting taxes since the states had different populations. This was overturned by the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which removed the apportionment requirement from Congress imposing direct taxes.
Apportionment
Questions and Answers
Q: What is apportionment?
A: Apportionment is a concept in United States law of allocating representatives or taxes among the US states, based on the United States Census taken every ten years.
Q: How is apportionment used in the United States House of Representatives?
A: Seats in the United States House of Representatives are apportioned among the states based on their population, with each state receiving a number of seats proportional to its population.
Q: What is the minimum number of seats a state can receive in the United States House of Representatives?
A: The minimum number of seats a state can receive in the United States House of Representatives is one.
Q: How often does Congress enact new apportionment legislation?
A: Congress enacted new apportionment legislation following every census until the mid-20th century.
Q: What is the requirement for apportioning direct taxes among the states?
A: Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires that direct taxes be apportioned among the states by population.
Q: Why was apportionment by population deemed impossible and unfair?
A: Apportionment by population was deemed nearly impossible, uneven, and unfair for collecting taxes since the states had different populations.
Q: What amendment removed the apportionment requirement from Congress imposing direct taxes?
A: The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution removed the apportionment requirement from Congress imposing direct taxes.