[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 732 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 732
To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Commerce to provide advance notice to Congress before changing any
questions on the decennial census, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 23, 2019
Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Serrano, Ms.
Meng, Mr. Soto, Mr. Clay, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Ms. Wild, Ms.
Schakowsky, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Sires, Mr. Vela, Mr. Espaillat, Ms.
Norton, Mr. Cooper, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Pascrell, and Ms. Judy Chu of
California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of
Commerce to provide advance notice to Congress before changing any
questions on the decennial census, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``2020 Census
Improving Data and Enhanced Accuracy Act'' or the ``2020 Census IDEA
Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The decennial census was embedded in article I of the
Constitution of the United States by the founders of the United
States for the purpose of apportionment of seats among the
States in the U.S. House of Representatives.
(2) The founders believed that a census was essential in
measuring the progress of the country and helping to chart its
future.
(3) The 2020 decennial census will, for the decade to
follow, shape the reapportionment of the House of
Representatives and the drawing of thousands of State and local
political districts.
(4) Over $800,000,000,000 in Federal assistance to State
and local communities every year is informed by the results of
the decennial census.
(5) Congress seeks to make the 2020 decennial census the
most complete, accurate, and fair decennial census in the
history of the United States.
(6) The decennial census is the largest peacetime
mobilization undertaken by the Federal Government.
(7) Any late, untested changes to the operational design of
the decennial census will jeopardize public cooperation with
the census and, therefore, the success and accuracy of the
decennial census.
SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DECENNIAL CENSUS.
Section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding ``and'' at the end;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a period; and
(C) by striking paragraph (3);
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h);
(3) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Limitations and Requirements.--
``(1) Notice to congress of operational design, subjects,
types of information, and questions.--In the 2020 decennial
census of population and each decennial census thereafter, the
Secretary may not--
``(A) with respect to the census or any survey
conducted in connection with the census, implement any
major operational design feature that has not been
researched, studied, and tested for a period of not
less than 3 years before the date on which the
applicable census occurs; or
``(B) include on the questionnaire for the census
any subject, type of information, or question that was
not submitted to Congress in accordance with subsection
(f).
``(2) Reports.--
``(A) Submission to congress.--Not later than 90
days after the date of enactment of this subsection,
and not later than the date that is 4 years before the
date of a decennial census (beginning with the
decennial census for 2030), the Secretary shall submit
to Congress a report that--
``(i) describes each component of the
operational plan for the subsequent decennial
census of population; and
``(ii) includes a detailed statement on the
status of all research, testing, and operations
that are part of the Bureau's comprehensive
plan for the decennial census.
``(B) Internet publication.--On the date on which
the Secretary submits a report under subparagraph (A),
the Secretary shall publish the report on the public
internet website of the Bureau.
``(C) GAO analysis.--Before the date on which a
decennial census occurs, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall certify to Congress that the
subjects, types of information, and questions to be
included in the census have been adequately researched,
studied, and tested to the same degree as in previous
decennial censuses.''; and
(4) in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by inserting
``Definition.--'' before ``As used in''.
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