Voting Behavior of Metropolitan Congressmen: Prospects for Changes with Reapportionment

Abstract

T HIS IS AN ANALYSIS of the choices made on roll calls by 180 members of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 88th Congress. These came from 48 of the largest areas in the country. The metropolitan Congressmen warrant attention because they comprise a large proportion of the House membership, and this proportion is likely to increase with the combined effects of continued urbanization and Congressional reapportionment. Despite their significance during the current concern with legislative apportionment, however, have not been the subjects of intensive bloc analysis. There are several unresolved controversies about the orientations of urban and rural legislators. Much of the dispute surrounding reapportionment assumes distinct urban or rural inclinations among legislators who are from markedly urban or rural constituencies. Although studies of state legislatures do not have direct relevance for this study of the United States Congress, three of them have cast doubt on the assumptions about urban and rural legislators. Derge finds no pronounced urban-rural antagonisms in the voting records of and outstate representatives in the legislatures of Illinois and Missouri.' Jacob, and Dye-in separate studies-conclude that the degree of equity in the apportionment scheme (with respect to urban and rural voters) shows no significant relationship with the nature of policies enacted by state legislatures.2