[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 27 (Wednesday, March 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E379-E380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENSE-OF-CONGRESS RESOLUTION TO PRESERVE THE ANCESTRY QUESTION ON THE 
                         2000 CENSUS LONG FORM

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 1997

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce a resolution 
today, along with 14 of my colleagues, to express the sense of Congress 
that the ancestry question on the census long form should be preserved.
  In crafting this legislation, I have worked closely with my friends 
from the Working Group on Ancestry in the U.S. Census. Together, they 
represent all of America. I especially want to recognize the National 
Italian-American Foundation and the Arab-American Institute for their 
work in bringing people together today.
  It is critically important that we preserve the ancestry question. We 
aren't trying to add to the census--we just want to ensure that the 
ancestry question is not omitted in 2000. The Census Bureau must submit 
to Congress by April 1, 1997, the material to be included on the 2000 
census questionnaire. Since the 1990 census, there has been much debate 
over the long form, and quite frankly, I am afraid some of my 
colleagues want to eliminate it.
  The census long form--including the ancestry question--is sent to 
approximately one in six households. It only constitutes about 6 
percent of the census budget; it is far more costly to omit these 
questions. It is an important source of social and economic data about 
our population. The decennial census is the only reliable source of 
information about the ethnic composition of our Nation's population.
  Members of Congress depend on accurate information. The ancestry 
question gives us insight into our communities and ethnic 
constituencies. We know the value of statistics on ethnicity and the 
importance of maintaining a national reservoir of accurate and up-to-
date information about our society's changing demographic make up. If 
this data is not collected in Census 2000, we will lose the only 
reliable and nationally comparable source of information on ethnicity. 
Both the private and public sectors rely on the census long form for 
accurate information on our population.
  Those who use ancestry data include: State, county, and municipal 
agencies; educators and human service providers; corporations; 
researchers; political leaders; and Federal agencies. They need this 
information to ensure that programs are inclusive, representative, and 
serve the needs of local populations. The U.S. Commission on Civil 
Rights needs the data to monitor discrimination based on national 
origin. Without the ancestry question, I fear that data on ethnicity 
will be incomplete or skewed.
  We are a proud nation of immigrants, and the ancestry question helps 
us to preserve knowledge about our ethnic heritage for present 
policymakers and for future generations. The ancestry question provides 
important insights into who we are as a people, how our neighborhoods 
are constituted, and how

[[Page E380]]

we are changing demographically. Knowing this will help us move toward 
a society that is inclusive and best serves the diverse needs of our 
American family. Please join me in supporting this resolution to 
preserve the ancestry question.

                          ____________________