Why the census matters

"The actual Enumeration [of determining the number of members of the House of Representatives] shall be made within three Years after the first meeting of Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such matter as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall at Least one Representative . . . ." Article I, Section II, United States Constitution.

Stated another way, the number of Representatives for each State is recalculated every 10 years (following the census). Originally the number of representatives increased as the population increased, but now the number is fixed at 435 - which is why States lose and gain members after each census in relation to their population compared to the entire population. This is why the census matters and counting each person is so vitally important to the political framework we have established under the Constitution.

For more, visit America's Survival Guide and Patriot Week.