A Plan for a Localized House of Representatives.

Since Congress passed the Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929, power in the republic has become centralized. When power in a republic becomes too centralized, it should be divided, separated, and layered. Below, I propose a plan that does just that. It shares power with more of the population and extends leadership opportunities for different regions.

It’s my first draft. If you have suggestions, leave them in the comments.

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Plan for a Localized and Reformed House of Representatives

1. Expanding Representation

This plan establishes a representative-to-citizen ratio of 1:350,000 to ensure a more direct connection between elected officials and their constituents. This increase in House membership will bring the legislative body closer to the people and enhance localized governance.

2. Decentralizing Power: Three House Divisions

The House of Representatives will be divided into three geographic house divisions to emphasize regional representation and diminish centralized party control:

• Eastern House: Represents the East Coast to the Ohio Valley

• Central House: Represents the Ohio Valley to the Rocky Mountains.

• Western House: Represents the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Each house division will operate semi-independently, maintaining localized control over legislative priorities.

Under this plan, the House of Representatives would have approximately 957 members in total. The approximate breakdown per house division would be:

• Eastern House (East Coast to Ohio Valley): ~382 representatives

• Central House (Ohio Valley to Rockies): ~287 representatives

• Western House (Rockies to Pacific): ~287 representatives

3. Leadership Structure

Each house division will elect its own Speaker of the House, responsible for managing legislative priorities and committee assignments within their region.

The full House will then elect a Speaker of the Houses. This Speaker will serve as the presiding officer of the entire House and will coordinate efforts between House divisions.

4. Committee Organization and Bill Placement

The Speaker of the Houses will assign committees among the three house divisions based on expertise and regional interests. Each Speaker of the House from the designated house division will select committee members from the full House, ensuring cross-division representation.

Each house division will have an independent Rules Committee with the power to place bills on the House floor for debate. To prevent bottlenecking and abuse of power, the Speaker of the Houses may veto bills from the House floor, but this authority is capped at 2% of all bills submitted per session.

5. Rotating Legislative Locations

Three regional Capitols will be established for the house divisions to decentralize legislative power further and foster local accountability. Representatives will rotate between these three capitols throughout a two-year term, ensuring a balance of regional influence and direct local engagement.

6. Expected Outcomes

This restructuring aims to:

• Displace centralized party control over the House

• Enhance local and geographic representation in federal policymaking

• Promote regional legislative priorities

• Reduce partisan gridlock by decentralizing authority

• Increase citizen engagement and accountability by maintaining a smaller representative-to-citizen ratio

This plan ensures a more democratic, localized, and accountable House of Representatives by redistributing legislative power across three regional house divisions, electing multiple speakers, and capping the power of leadership to block bills.

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My plan is highly influenced by James Madison’s vision of a compounded or layered republic and his argument for extending the sphere. Madison argued that a large republic, with multiple layers of government and diverse interests, would prevent factions from gaining absolute power and create a more balanced, representative system.

The plan makes the House of Representatives more local, accessible, and accountable without breaking what already works. Expanding the number of representatives and creating three regional divisions ensures that people have greater access to their representatives and more opportunities to meet with them in regional capitols, promoting geographic balance in representation.

Uncapping the House naturally fixes some of the most debated political problems—term limits, gerrymandering, and campaign finance—by addressing their root causes. Expanding the House dilutes incumbency advantages, making elections more competitive and reducing the need for term limits. Smaller districts weaken gerrymandering since manipulating a few districts won’t swing control. Campaign finance issues also become less severe because localized elections cost less, making grassroots fundraising more effective and limiting the influence of big donors.

The plan diffuses centralized party control, forcing lawmakers to work with their communities instead of just with national party leaders or big donors. It spreads out lobbying, so the influence isn’t just concentrated in Washington but localized to regional concerns, giving rural areas an actual seat at the table.

My goal is to build on Madisonian principles in a contemporary manner, adapting them to the challenges of today's political dysfunction, keeping power closer to the people, just as Madison envisioned, and ensuring that no single interest, region, or political machine can dominate the House of Representatives.

Peace and Love,

Jeff Mayhugh