[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 34 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 12--RELATE TO THE DECENNIAL CENSUS

  Mr. TORRICELLI (for himself, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Lieberman, 
Mr. Specter, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Glenn, Mr. Levin, and Mr. Sarbanes) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Government Affairs:

                            S. Con. Res. 12

       Whereas the decennial census of population is the only 
     source of complete and comparable information on the ethnic 
     composition of the United States;
       Whereas no other source can provide as accurate and 
     reliable data on the changing ethnic composition of the 
     population of the United States at the national, State, and 
     local levels as is provided by the decennial census;
       Whereas ancestry data, together with other demographic and 
     socioeconomic data, collected in the decennial census assists 
     policymakers in assessing patterns of assimilation, mobility, 
     and achievement on the part of different population subgroups 
     of the United States;
       Whereas the United States Commission on Civil Rights uses 
     census ancestry data to monitor unlawful discrimination based 
     on national origin; and
       Whereas ancestry data collected in the decennial census is 
     used by many other individuals and entities, including 
     Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, educators, 
     service providers, businesses, and researchers: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of 
     Commerce should ensure that the information requested in the 
     2000 decennial census of population with respect to ancestry 
     will be at least as comprehensive as the information that was 
     requested in the 1990 decennial census (in terms of the 
     content of the information and the range of respondents from 
     whom that information is sought).

     SEC. 2. TRANSMISSION TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.

       The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
     concurrent resolution to the Secretary of Commerce.

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