as established in a decennial census.
             Because some delegates from the small states were nervous that the Connecticut Compromise might be undone by a future constitutional amendment, the Founders decided to "lock in" the provision that guarantees each state an equal vote in the Senate into the Constitution. As a result, this provision cannot be altered by the regular amendment procedures of the Constitution. A change in the equal representation of the states in the U.S. Senate would require agreement by all the states.
             The proviso that each state must have a minimum of one representative in the House results in a slight dilution of the principle of proportionality in favor of the small states, because the House is now limited (by law - not by the Constitution) to 435 members. Nevertheless, California with its current total of 52 members in the House (based on the 1990 census) is in a far stronger position there (= 12 %) than in the Senate, where it has 2 members like every other state (= 2 %).
             ...