10,856

1

Quite naturally, an inquiry will be made as to

2

why the Committee decided upon ten percent, why it

3

decided upon a percentage at all, when in the legislative

4

session and the session having to do with the districts

6

for the purposes of the General Assembly we did not use

6

a percentage, although we indicated we felt that fifteen

7

percent Would be the maximum acceptable in isolated cases.

8

I think the reason is because of the much larger size of a

9

congressional district, the fact that a larger percentage

10

really allows you a greater number of people for flexibility

11

purposes.

12

Now, it is quite true that Congressman Cellers1

13

bills which have been submitted regularly to the Congress

14

and House since 195I have generally called for a fifteen

15

percent deviation from the mean. However, in recent times

16

the Senate has been reducing that figure to ten percent, and

17

it appears that if a percentage is ever adopted that ten

18

prcent will probably be the percentage agreed upon.

19

I am not suggesting to you that the prospects

20

of Congressional final decision in this area are at hand.

21

In talking to some of the Members of the Congress, I think