Fact Check: "The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 voting members."
What We Know
The U.S. House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of Congress, and it is composed of 435 voting members. This number is fixed by law and has been established since the Apportionment Act of 1911, which set the maximum number of representatives at 435. Each representative serves a two-year term and is elected to represent a specific congressional district within the 50 states. Additionally, there are non-voting delegates from territories such as the District of Columbia, Guam, and American Samoa, but these do not count towards the total of 435 voting members (house.gov, USAGov).
Analysis
The claim that the U.S. House of Representatives has 435 voting members is substantiated by multiple credible sources. According to the official website of the House of Representatives, the number of voting representatives is indeed fixed at 435, which reflects the population distribution among the states (house.gov). This is further supported by USAGov, which states that the House has 435 members determined by the population of each state (USAGov).
Moreover, NPR has reported on the historical context of this number, noting that the size of the House has remained unchanged for decades, despite population growth (NPR). The Wikipedia entry on the United States House of Representatives also confirms that the number of voting representatives has been set at 435 since the Apportionment Act of 1911, with a brief increase during the admission of Alaska and Hawaii to the Union (Wikipedia).
The sources used are reliable and authoritative, primarily coming from government websites and reputable news organizations. They provide consistent information that supports the claim.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that the U.S. House of Representatives has 435 voting members is accurate. This number is established by law and has remained unchanged since 1911, reflecting a fixed representation of the states in Congress.
Sources
- Representatives | house.gov
- U.S. House of Representatives - USAGov
- PDF How Your State Gets Its Seats - U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
- Explainer: Why Does The U.S. House Have 435 Members? : NPR
- List of current members of the United States House of Representatives
- United States House of Representatives - Wikipedia