[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 15, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H1055-H1062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            THE 2000 CENSUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 6, 1999, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) 
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, census day, April 1, may be 17 
days away, but the census has begun. Almost 100 million questionnaires 
have been delivered by the postal service this week, and 22 million 
more are being delivered by the Census Bureau in rural areas. I 
received mine the other day, and I urge all Americans to fill out their 
questionnaires and mail them back. It is the civic responsibility of 
every American to participate in the census.
  The news on preparations for the census is good. Things are going 
well. So far, over 2.4 million people have returned their forms to the 
Census Bureau, and they have actually processed over 1.5 million forms 
already. On Monday alone the census questionnaire assistance phone 
handled 636,000 calls, 636,000 calls in 1 day; and they handled

[[Page H1056]]

434,000 yesterday. That is over a million calls in 2 days.
  All 520 local census offices are up and open, computers and phones 
are operating, and the major data capture centers are tested and are 
already working. Though there are localized problems, recruiting is 
already ahead of schedule nationwide, at about 80 percent of the total 
needed. Given the prosperity of our Nation, it is very impressive, with 
this historically low unemployment, that the recruitment is going so 
well.
  Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my colleagues here, the number that 
Members can give to their constituents who are interested in working 
for the Census Bureau is 1-888-325-7733. I urge all of my colleagues to 
share this number with any constituent who may want full- or part-time 
work helping to obtain an accurate count.
  While the most labor-intensive phases of the census are yet to come, 
it is important as well to take note of the successful operational 
elements of the 2000 census which have already been completed.
  The paid advertising campaign is in its most active phase; and I, for 
one, feel that the quality of that effort has been tremendously 
effective. Other promotional activities include the census road tour 
vehicles. There are 12 of them moving through our Nation's cities and 
neighborhoods. The master address file of 120 million addresses may be 
the most complete ever, due to some improved processes, including the 
LUCA, Local Update of Census Addresses, today and new construction 
programs.
  One of my favorite initiatives, the census in the schools program, 
has exceeded its original goals and sent over 1.5 million teaching kits 
to schools around the Nation. Particularly noteworthy is a new USA 
Today-CNN Gallop poll, one just the other day which came out and said 
that 96 percent of the respondents say they will mail back their 
questionnaires. I doubt that it will be that high, but it is certainly 
an important indicator of the all-important mail response rate and 
Americans' willingness to participate in the census. And all of this is 
very good news.
  As the GAO indicated in a hearing before the Subcommittee on Census 
yesterday, in the final analysis it is the American people who will 
determine whether we have a successful census or not. It all comes down 
to filling out and mailing back the form. A year ago, many prophets of 
doom questioned the likely success of the 2000 census. While we are far 
from done, I think we can all take pride in the excellent work of the 
career professionals at the Census Bureau in successfully meeting the 
milestones to date.
  As Census Director Ken Prewitt has emphasized, unexpected problems 
could develop tomorrow. In any massive operation there will be 
problems. But as of today, the census, as a whole, is running well and 
it is on track.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield to my colleague, the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Sawyer), who is the former chair of the Subcommittee on 
Census.
  Mr. SAWYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the opportunity 
to speak today, and I thank her for her leadership in bringing this 
issue repeatedly to the floor during the time of her oversight 
responsibilities in preparation for this largest peace-time undertaking 
of the American government. But most of all, I thank her for the work 
that is going to lie ahead in the course of the summer.
  The truth of the matter is that the conduct of the census is probably 
the closest thing to war in terms of undertaking a huge initiative with 
all kinds of planning ahead of time, but with the recognition that what 
is being done is being done in real-time. It is enormous. There will be 
slippage. It will be imperfect. And we need to understand that the work 
that we are doing will proceed and that the goal is indisputable: as 
complete and accurate a count as possible.
  That really brings us to the $64,000 question. Can we conduct, in 
2000, the census using the same design that we did in 1990 or 1980 or 
even 1970 and still expect to produce a useful and better outcome? The 
answer, quite clearly and quite simply, is no. That is the reason that 
census design over the decades, over the centuries, has changed as this 
Nation has changed.
  The truth is there are no traditional methods in our history of 
census taking. There never has been a pure head count of the 
population. And reliability, sometimes called into question, is not a 
matter of opinion but is a mathematically measurable standard, not a 
political judgment.
  The first census in 1790 took place on horseback. It took 9\1/2\ 
months to finish and visit a half million households and another year 
to compile the results. As the country grew, the methods changed. In 
the 1800s, people essentially would enumerate themselves by filling in 
schedules posted in town squares. And the country grew so fast after 
the Civil War, about a quarter per decade, 24 percent, that by 1880 
census workers could not keep pace with the amount of information 
collected. It took 7 years to tabulate the results of that census. And 
that is why in the next decade, a young census employee, a graduate 
student from Columbia University, Herman Hollerith, developed the punch 
card system of tabulating data. It was that system that went on to lead 
to his founding of IBM.
  The truth is that those kinds of changes have taken place in this 
century as well. In the 1920s and 1930s, W. Edwards Demming pioneered 
his now world-famous methods of statistical quality control at the 
Census Bureau. These same census methods will see wide application this 
year, after 7 decades of limited, growing, and now proven application.
  The problem is that by 1990, the last census, the alarming drop in 
civic engagement that has plagued the electoral process also affected 
the census. Instead of the 78 percent return rate that we saw 
initially, or the 75 percent that took place in 1980, it fell to 65 
percent of households nationwide. But even more tellingly, it fell to 
between 30 and 40 percent in the hardest-to-count neighborhoods. Not 
only had the holes in the census grown, the holes became larger than 
the fabric itself.
  Costs skyrocketed in the 1990 census, not as a product of any failure 
of execution but a failure of design; and it earned the unenviable 
distinction of being the first census that was less accurate than its 
predecessor. That is why in the course of this decade so much effort 
has been made to combine the direct counting methods of the past with 
long proven scientific sampling techniques. Both techniques will be 
used in this decade. And it is important for us to understand that the 
result of that will be our ability to measure and control the quality 
of the count in ways that will help guide and inform policy for the 
next decade.
  There is a lot that can go wrong in the course of a census. My 
colleagues heard the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) talk 
about some of the things that are going right. Those are important 
measures of success. But the kinds of things that happen in any large 
undertaking are going to happen this year. We are going to have some 
household somewhere that gets a dozen or a score or maybe 100 forms, 
and it is not a sign of a failure of the census. We are going to have 
some enumerator who falls asleep on somebody's front porch, and it is 
not a sign of a failure in the census.

                              {time}  1700

  We are going to have a whole city block who never got their forms and 
had to be remailed. And it is not a sign of failure. It is the kind of 
thing that happens in large and complex undertakings. The kind of 
things that we need to watch throughout this year are the kind of 
things that the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is looking at 
through the oversight process in a responsible way, staying out of the 
way of excuses but understanding what is going on, watching the mail 
return rates.
  Those will be a critical measure of the kinds of adjustments that 
need to be made in the course of the conduct of the census. The length 
of time consumed in responding to nonresponsive households and to 
follow up to make sure that they are counted. The longer the length of 
time that that takes, the more the quality of data deteriorates.
  Finally, and perhaps the most important, the personnel retention and 
turnover rates that are a critical part of this huge human enterprise.
  I join my colleague from New York (Mrs. Maloney) in thanking the 
career professionals at the Census Bureau and Ken Pruitt and his 
leadership team for the work that they have done. I wish

[[Page H1057]]

them the very best in the conduct of this enormously important national 
undertaking, and I thank all in this Congress who have been actively 
involved in our local communities to make sure that everyone has the 
opportunity to be counted. Because every one of us needs to count.
  I thank my colleague for this opportunity to join with her today.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank my 
colleague for his consistent outstanding work and commitment to getting 
an accurate count.
  Our goal in this body has been to get the most accurate census 
possible, conduct it using the most up-to-date methods as recommended 
by the National Academy of Sciences and the vast majority of the 
professional scientific community.
  It is very important that we get an accurate count because the census 
has a real impact on the lives of real people. Information gathered in 
the census is used by States and local governments to plan schools and 
highways by the Federal Government, to distribute funds for health care 
and other programs, and by businesses in deciding where to build new 
stores and factories and provide new services.
  We are pleased to have the gentleman from Patterson, New Jersey (Mr. 
Pascrell) with us, a former mayor, and he has firsthand knowledge of 
conducting a census which was conducted during the time that he was 
mayor. I thank him for joining us today, and I yield to him.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I am alarmed to hear that the Republican 
candidate for President is opposed to use the sampling methodologies 
for the 2000 Census. That methodology has been certified by the 
National Academy of Sciences, which is the body which determines 
scientific methodology with regards to medicine, the environment, 
biology, etcetera.
  I am alarmed because these studies that I have just defined have 
shown that this is the only true way to obtain an effective count of 
our population. There is no such thing as a perfect count regardless of 
which methodology we use. But certainly the least perfect, the one 
which brings us further away from the number, is to believe that we can 
count noses by counting noses. It just does not work that way.
  In particular, members of the population that have been historically 
undercounted are ethnic minorities and immigrants where there is a 
tremendous mobility in domicile from month to month, from year to year.
  That decision by the Republican candidate for President casts serious 
doubt on the claim that he wants to reach out to the minority 
communities of America.
  The beauty of the census is that it has no barriers due to education, 
background, citizenship, income, or heritage. It is, in fact, one of 
the most democratic events we undertake in our Nation.

  There is no anecdotal data reflecting any breach of confidentiality 
in the history of the United States census. I think that is quite a 
record. We would only hope that other agencies in Government had that 
record. We have debated it on this floor.
  Unfortunately, entire communities are not counted each decennial due 
to inherent flaws in the process of traditional head counts. Sampling 
is the way to correct this. I know from experience how important 
sampling is.
  In 1995, the Census Bureau spent $3.3 million to test the use of 
statistical methods in making the census more accurate. My hometown, a 
town where I was the mayor, Patterson, New Jersey, was one of these 
cities; and the results are staggering. Through this technique, we 
found that the 1990 Census had missed 8,000 people in one city alone in 
only one part of that city. Imagine what that means for other towns, 
large and small, across this greatest of all nations.
  As a result of that undercount, that county within which Patterson 
sits lost over $60 million in those 9 years. Since much of Federal 
funding is distributed by many items, yes, but one of those items being 
population, that is an amazing number. It is almost $10,000 per 
uncounted person, this phantom population.
  An independent study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimates that in the 
2000 Census, the one in which we just sent out the forms, the 
questionnaires, one in every six gets the long form, the rest of us get 
the short form, in that census undergoing right now in New Jersey, we 
will be undercounted in New Jersey by 72,000 people. That should be 
unacceptable to all of us regardless of which side of the aisle we sit 
on. If it happens, this undercount would result in tremendous 
underfunding of Federal dollars.
  To disenfranchise millions of Americans, disproportionately 
minorities, children and the poor, and prevent them from getting their 
fair share of resources for priorities like schools, hospitals and 
roads, that is not compassionate. That is not conservative. Indeed, it 
is not fair.
  So what we are asking for is there has been a hiatus since the 
Supreme Court decision and we will, now that the questionnaires will be 
returned and the enumerators are being sent out, that we not get back 
into the partisan battles of 1998 and 1999, that we work together to 
make sure that sampling becomes a major part without defying the 
Supreme Court position.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a critical issue for America. The Constitution 
mandates a count. The Constitution does not mandate how that count will 
take place. Hopefully, we will not have the undercount that we have had 
since 1960 and 1970 and 1980 and 1990. This, hopefully, will be a 
different census.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New 
Jersey for his comments. I agree completely that the census is about 
people, it is not about politics, it is about getting the most accurate 
count possible. Because the census is so important, we must do 
everything we can to ensure that everyone is included in the count.
  We know that previous censuses overlooked millions of Americans, 
especially children and minorities. That is not fair, it is not 
accurate, and it is not acceptable. We are determined to do better.
  One of the programs that the Census Bureau has initiated is one 
called Partnerships With Community Groups and the formation of Complete 
Count Committees that work in the neighborhoods to help work with the 
Census Bureau to make people aware of the census, encourage them to 
fill out their forms, and to improve the counting of all Americans.
  Our next speaker, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), is the 
chair of the Baltimore City Complete Count Committee. He is also one of 
the most active members on the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight on which the Census Subcommittee resides. I thank him for his 
work on the subcommittee and for taking a leadership role in his 
community, and I thank him for being here tonight.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Maloney) on behalf of the Congress and all the people of this 
great United States of America for all of her hard work. And she has 
worked hard. She has been working on this issue for a long time and we 
thank her. Because a lot of the things that were talked about a little 
bit earlier, the program that she just talked about and others, are 
because she was in there and she was fighting and she continues to 
fight. And we thank her, we really do, all of us.
  I also want to take a moment to thank Ken Pruitt. He visited my 
district about 2 weeks ago and met with some young children at one of 
our elementary schools encouraging them to go home and remind their 
parents to make sure that they filled out the form and sent it off into 
the mail and make sure that it got back. And that shows how sensitive 
the Census Bureau is that he would come and spend an hour and a half 
with elementary schoolchildren and sending them as messengers back to 
their homes to make sure that these forms were properly filled out and 
returned.
  But, Mr. Speaker, I take the time tonight because I believe that all 
Americans regardless of race, ethnicity and socio-economic status 
deserve livable communities. All must share equitably in this great 
American dream.
  In Baltimore, people work hard. They do not ask for a lot, but they 
deserve to have communities that are safe and healthy, communities 
where children can obtain quality educations. Creating livable 
communities for our Nation's residents greatly depends upon a complete 
and accurate census count.

[[Page H1058]]

  I recently learned that Governor Bush has sided with the Republican 
majority in Congress that has objected to the use of modern scientific 
methods to provide accurate census data. As a candidate for the 
presidency of these diverse United States of America, his opposition to 
using modern scientific methods casts very serious doubts on his 
efforts to reach out to minority communities.
  It is so unfortunate, but not surprising, that the compassionate 
conservatism does not include the community I represent. Use of modern 
scientific methods ensure that those communities traditionally missed 
will be counted.
  In 1990, approximately 23,000 citizens, let me repeat that, 23,000 
citizens, in Baltimore City were missed. The City lost as much as $650 
million in critical Federal grants and loans. However, an accurate 
count is not just about the money, it is also about quality of life.
  Census information impacts programs like Childcare and Development 
Block Grant, a program that enables low-income families to obtain child 
care while they are at work or obtaining a job or obtaining job 
training or going to school.
  The Labor Department uses census estimates in support of the 
Workforce Investment Act to prepare young people and adults facing 
serious impediments to employment by providing jobs and skilled 
training.
  The Department of Education uses census data to identify school 
districts and allocate funds under title I program, helping to provide 
extra help in basic education to students most in need, particularly 
communities and schools with high concentrations of children in low-
income families.

                              {time}  1715

  The Treasury Department uses census data for the Community 
Reinvestment Act to help determine whether financial institutions are 
meeting the credit needs of minorities and low- and moderate-income 
areas.
  As the honorary chair of Baltimore City's Complete Count Committee, 
my focus has been on the most difficult groups to enumerate; and the 
gentleman from Baltimore, Maryland (Mr. Cardin), has joined me in those 
efforts.
  We have worked hard to make sure that we reached the African American 
male population between 18 and 30 years old, children under 5 years 
old, undocumented residents, Hispanics, and native Americans. Using 
Governor Bush's method, even our best efforts will not ensure that 
these groups are counted. A complete and accurate Census 2000 will 
ensure that education, accessible health care, child care, access to 
jobs, and the protection of civil rights are the foundation of livable 
communities. Our citizens deserve no less.
  I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) for yielding.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I would like to really 
elaborate on a tremendous threat to an accurate count which has been 
brought up by some of my colleagues. At a press conference from Oakland 
on March 5, 2000, Governor George W. Bush finally revealed what we, 
many of us, suspected all along.
  He has no intention of helping minorities, children and even the 
people of Texas by supporting the use of modern statistical methods for 
the census.
  Let me read directly from the transcript. A reporter asked Governor 
Bush, and I quote, ``Governor, you mentioned the similarities between 
California and Texas. One of the issues in the minority community in 
California is regarding the census and an undercount that they 
experienced 10 years ago and can expect to experience again. What is 
your position on the idea of using sampling methods which would count 
minority communities more fully? Your party is against it,'' end quote.
  Governor Bush responded, and I quote, ``Yeah, so am I. I think we 
need to count, an actual count. I think we need to spend the money, 
make the effort and work hard to get an actual count,'' end quote.
  That was a very telling exchange. Governor Bush is willing to put his 
party's position ahead of what is right for the American people. 
Governor Bush sided with those in Congress who believe their partisan 
political power is best served by pretending that minority voters do 
not exist.
  Why is this important to the presidential race if the census is now, 
if the census is this year? Let me say why. Under the plan that the 
professionals at the Census Bureau have devised, the more accurate data 
will correct the historical undercount of minorities. This will not be 
available until the beginning of the term of the next President.
  The next President, if he should choose, could try to stop the 
numbers from being released to the States. This is exactly what 
President Bush did 10 years ago. That is why his statement from last 
week cast serious doubt on Governor Bush's claim that he wants to reach 
out to minority communities. The Bush census plan would effectively 
disenfranchise millions of Americans, disproportionately minorities, 
children, and the poor, and prevent them from getting their fair share 
of resources for priorities in their neighbors like schools, hospitals, 
and roads.
  That is not compassionate. That is not conservative. That is not 
fair.
  This decision puts Governor Bush at odds with the entire scientific 
community; from the National Academy of Sciences and the American 
Statistical Association to current Census Bureau professionals and even 
Dr. Barbara Bryant, former President Bush Census Bureau director.
  All of these individuals and organizations agree that millions of 
Americans, disproportionately minorities, children and the poor, will 
again be missed if corrected numbers are not released. That is why a 
fair and accurate census is a priority for the civil rights community 
and groups like the Children's Defense Fund. Many civil rights 
communities have called getting the use of modern scientific methods to 
correct for the undercount the most important civil rights issue of the 
decade.
  The governor's remarks remind me of something former Speaker Gingrich 
said in his book, Lessons Learned the Hard Way. Speaker Gingrich wrote 
about the error he made in holding the 1997 flood bill hostage in his 
effort to stop modern scientific methods. In explaining his actions, he 
said he stopped the flood bill because preventing a fair and accurate 
census was an issue, and I quote, ``of great importance to our party,'' 
end quote.
  Still it seems that Governor Bush did not always share the party's 
view on the census. Like our former speaker, who used to support modern 
statistical methods, the Texas Office of State Federal Relations under 
Governor Bush's leadership used to be in agreement with the scientific 
community on this issue. I quote from the 1997 Texas State Federal 
Relations Office priorities, and I quote,

        All sides in the census debate concede that traditional 
     methods of calculation which seek to identify and count each 
     individual resident will never provide a full and accurate 
     portrait of the U.S. population. At issue is how to correct 
     that so that everyone can acknowledge it is an undercount and 
     specifically an undercount of certain populations, most often 
     urban minorities. This issue is important to Texas, because 
     many Federal funding distributions are made according to 
     census results. Most Texans do not realize that well over 
     one-third of the State budget is derived from Federal 
     sources, and all of these Federal sources are tied to census 
     numbers. Consequently, the accuracy of the census is vitally 
     important to the State, and even members of his own State.

end quote.
  This is a tremendously important issue. There was a report that was 
issued earlier last week by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and it was based on 
the impact of an accurate census data across the Nation; but on my city 
it stated that New York City stands to lose approximately $2.3 billion 
during the next decade if the Census Bureau is blocked from releasing 
the most accurate population data; $2.3 billion over 10 years. That is 
a lot of teachers; that is a lot of police officers, roads, bridges. It 
is important that we get an accurate count. It means a great deal to 
the people of America.
  I have with me the next speaker, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Baca). He is a first-term Congressman, a former Senator and he has 
direct knowledge of the problem of the undercount in his State.
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney), for giving me the opportunity to speak on 
this important issue. I appreciate the leadership that she has taken on 
this issue, especially urging and demanding an accurate count on the 
2000 Census.

[[Page H1059]]

  This is not about political wedges. This is about improving the 
quality of life. That is what this issue is about. It is not about 
political wedges. It is about improving the quality of life. This issue 
affects all Americans. This issue affects every man in America. This 
issue affects every woman in America. This issue affects every child in 
America.
  During the census of 1990, nearly 18,000 residents of my 
congressional district were not counted. I state 18,000 residents of my 
congressional district were not counted. The undercount resulted in a 
loss of Federal dollars and funds that would have benefited, nearly $50 
million in revenue, that would have gone over the past 10 years. 
Because we failed to do an accurate count, we lost $50 million over the 
last 10 years.
  $50 million could have gone a long ways in providing much needed 
resources to my congressional district. $50 million would have brought 
the Inland Empire roads and infrastructure. $50 million could have 
brought the Inland Empire housing programs and projects and educational 
services, law enforcement for cities, parks and recreation, senior 
citizen services, youth centers, educational services. Overall, the 
State of California has lost out on more than 2.2 billion Federal 
dollars, and I state overall the State of California has lost out on 
more than 2.2 billion Federal dollars due to the 1990 census 
undercount.
  Last week, the lieutenant governor of California, Cruz Bustamante, 
warned that our State could lose $5 billion, and I state $5 billion, in 
Federal funding if the undercount this year is similar to the 1990 
undercount. That is why I commend our colleague from New York for 
urging for an accurate count and demanding an accurate count, not only 
what it means to my State but what it means to many other States across 
the Nation.
  As Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante said, we will have less than 
we deserve, and I state we will have less than what we deserve. This is 
not just a matter of loss of Federal dollars. People are being 
overlooked. Millions of Americans are being overlooked. It is a shame 
that California will not get its fair share of dollars if we do not do 
an accurate count. That is why it is important that we do an accurate 
count, not only for California but for others.
  Ten years ago, millions of Americans were not included in the census 
count, a count that would have placed them equally alongside each and 
every other American. In 1990, 2.7 percent of people of California were 
not counted, 2.7 percent. 2.7 percent. That means one out of every 37 
people in California were not counted. Yet our population continues to 
grow.
  We have 34 million people or more in the State of California. It 
would be a shame if California did not have an accurate count and it 
did not receive its fair share of dollars back into our State.
  The census undercount does not affect all Americans in the same way. 
Again, during the 1990 census, 7.6 percent of the black population was 
overlooked in that counting; I state, 7.6 percent. That means one out 
of every 13 black residents of California were not being counted.
  Also, during the 1990 Census, 4.9 percent of Hispanic residents of 
California were not counted. That is 4.9 percent. That means 4.9, 
roughly one out of every 20 Latinos in California were not being 
counted. Imagine what it is going to be like this year if we do not do 
an accurate count. It is a shame if we do not do that. It is a shame 
that the leadership on the other side does not want to do an accurate 
count.

  I am appalled that Governor Bush does not want to do an accurate 
count. I think it is important that we all do it in the State of 
California, that we do it in every State. I am truly appalled. 4.9 
percent equals nearly 400,000 Latinos in California not counted the 
last 10 years. 400,000 is more than the population of Fresno, 
California; 400,000 is more than the population of Sacramento. It is 
more than the population of Oakland. 400,000 people not being counted 
is 400,000 too many.
  However, it is not just a matter of blacks and Latinos not being 
counted. Millions of children also were overlooked over the last 10 
years. Nationwide, more than 2 million children were not counted 10 
years ago.
  In California alone, 342,000 children were not counted in the 1990 
Census. That is 342,000 children. Imagine the services that could have 
gone back to our schools, to our communities, to our State. This 
represents 4.2 percent of the children of California not being counted 
in 1990. This represents nearly one of every 24 children in California 
not being counted.
  I join my colleagues here on the floor this evening in urging all 
Americans to stand up and be counted this year. I join with those who 
have been undercounted in the past in stressing the importance of being 
counted during the year 2000 Census. All Americans should be counted 
this year. If we do not do an accurate count, the Federal dollars do 
not come in and the taxpayers will have to pay for the services that we 
want and deserve.
  I urge all of us to stand up and be counted. Whether we are white or 
whether we are American Indians, African Americans, Hispanic, Asian 
Americans, we should all stand up together and be counted. We are one 
Nation, a great Nation; and we are one people together unified and 
inclusive, and I state inclusive, and that is important that we are all 
included in this process and that every one of us is counted.
  Filling out the forms and mailing them back is important. As the 
Chair indicated that April 1, everyone has received it, we urge 
everyone to return those back and to participate in the process. It is 
the responsibility of a partnership between all of us. It is not just 
the legislature's responsibility. It is a partnership for the total 
community, for businesses, for schools, for churches, for our 
communities to come together and do what is necessary for our States. 
If we come together collectively, we will put our political wedges 
aside and we will do what is good for America. We will do what is good 
for our country. We will do what is good for our State.
  I thank my colleague for providing me the opportunity to speak on 
this important issue, and I yield the balance of my time back to the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), who has done an outstanding 
job, who is a true fighter and a true leader leading us in this 
important issue that is affecting all Americans.

                              {time}  1730

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, our next speaker is the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez), an outstanding and consistent 
leader on this issue and others. He is the Chair of the Latino Caucus's 
Task Force on the Census and Civil Rights.
  Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman's 
efforts. It is a great honor to serve with her.
  Mr. Speaker, it is of great importance. It is just not a matter of 
partisan politics. It is just not a matter of Latino politics. I am 
very privileged to be the Chair of the Hispanic Caucus's Task Force on 
Civil Rights and the Census, but they really are one and the same. That 
is what I want to talk about this evening.
  It is brief, but it is going to be very important. I am going to 
digress from the Federal funding aspect of what happens when we have 
inaccurate numbers. Not that that is not important, and I will give you 
a couple of examples why it is so important to Texas and for my 
district.
  The 1990 census resulted in half a million Texans being missed, not 
counted. That is astounding. What was more astounding though is that 
330,000 of those that were not counted were Hispanic or African 
Americans. That is something that we cannot tolerate and should not 
tolerate.
  But, you may ask, why is it a civil rights issue? Because when the 
census misses people, it is not missing all people equally. The reality 
is that the people undercounted in the census are disproportionately 
Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and 
all other American minorities.
  The unquestionable result of undercounting American minorities is not 
only a reduction in Federal funds for services in minority communities, 
which are in the greatest need, obviously; it is a blatantly unjust 
reduction in the political voice of those communities. This is indeed a 
political fight. It is a fight for the political representational 
rights of millions of Americans.

[[Page H1060]]

  Based on these numbers we will be redrawing all lines. What do I mean 
by that? I mean we will be setting up what comprises school districts, 
city council districts, county commissioner districts in the State of 
Texas, State representative and State senators, as well as 
Congressional districts. Minorities will be underrepresented. They will 
not be counted. They will not exist for the purposes of making sure 
that they are represented when they draw those lines in the State 
legislatures.
  We cannot start a new millennium with inaccurate numbers. This is not 
1990. We have the ability; we have the science; we have the method; and 
it is there at our disposal, only if we use it.
  Think of it, a new millennium; and we start it off with an inaccurate 
census that does not count everyone, and for 10 years going into the 
next century, we live with these inaccurate numbers, at great cost to 
the quality of life of our fellow Americans. That will not be 
tolerated, that should not be tolerated, and that is why I come here 
tonight to join my colleague from New York in a single voice to say 
that we are here to remind the American public, whether they be 
Republican, Democrat or Independents, that we must join together and 
use the best method to have an accurate census, because it truly 
impacts all of us.
  The old quote, ``For whom does the bell toll,'' well, it tolls for 
you and me, because we are all Americans in this great country. If one 
American goes without a voice, then all Americans are without a voice. 
This is not what this great country has been built on all these years. 
This is not what we have fought great wars over. This is a 
representational democracy, and we can never achieve that if we do not 
have an accurate census and if we do not utilize proven scientific 
methods, such as sampling.
  So I beseech and implore everyone out there that has any questions 
about it, they can come and talk to us. We will be happy to have a 
dialogue. But let us not let this be reduced to some petty partisan 
squabble, where the only end game and end product will be some sort of 
perceived political advantage. There is much more at stake here.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks on this special order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis), a member of the Census Subcommittee, who has been 
our most consistent advocate for an accurate count and a strong voice 
for civil rights and social justice and all scientific methods to 
correct the undercount.
  I thank the gentleman for all of his hard work and leadership this 
year. We all appreciate it.
  (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want, first of all, 
to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), who has done 
such an outstanding job of providing leadership on this issue over the 
past 2 years and more. As a matter of fact, the gentlewoman has been 
all across the country looking at different approaches, methods, 
techniques, talking to as many people as she possibly could, trying to 
get the message out; and I think all of America owes the gentlewoman a 
tremendous debt of gratitude for her unselfish efforts in trying to 
make sure that we do in fact have an accurate count. I certainly want 
to thank the gentlewoman.
  Mr. Speaker, an accurate census is in the best interests of our 
Nation. In less than 22 days the Census Bureau will undertake the 
enormous task of counting the entire population. It is an exercise that 
has been done since 1790 when the first census was commissioned.
  Unfortunately, during the first census, not everyone was counted. As 
a matter of fact, Africans in America were considered three-fifths of a 
person. Since 1790, we have evolved as a Nation to include at least on 
paper women and minorities as equal citizens of this democracy.
  However, the proposed methods of counting the population by many in 
the Republican Party, including its most likely presidential nominee, 
Governor George Bush, could lead to a serious undercount of our 
citizens. This is tantamount to moving backwards instead of going 
forward.
  The constituents of my district, the Seventh District of Illinois, 
deserve and demand an accurate count of the entire population. They 
realize, as many others do, that too much is at stake to get less than 
an accurate count.
  In 1990, for example, we lost millions of dollars in Chicago in 
Federal funds because of a census undercount. According to the Census 
Bureau, at least 10 million people, at least 113,831 in the State of 
Illinois, 81,000 in Cook County, and 68,000 in the City of Chicago, 
were not counted in the 1990 census. Many of those missed were children 
and women who live in minority communities, people who are in need of 
Federal programs to assist them in their daily living.
  Because the 1990 census miscounted thousands of people in Chicago, 
every one of our residents were shortchanged on money to repair roads 
and streets. They were shortchanged on money for mass transit and 
senior citizen programs. They were shortchanged on money for schools, 
parks and job training.
  Perhaps the most egregious shortchange was that of political 
representation. In a democracy, representation is essential to having a 
voice in local, State and Federal Government, and when those in 
powerful positions fail to do what is right, America loses. It is 
unfortunate that the census has become so political that those in power 
would ignore the voices of the National Academy of Sciences and others 
who have said that strict enumeration could result in millions more 
people being missed by the census.
  I often say that when elephants rumble, it is the ground that gets 
trampled. In this case, it is the rights of those in rural and urban 
America, the rights of the poor, the rights of the needy, who will be 
abridged if they are not counted.
  Perhaps Lincoln said it best when he said that you can fool some of 
the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all 
of the time.
  So I am pleased to join with my colleagues in urging that those in 
powerful positions to lead do so, and not follow what many predict is a 
flawed way of counting our citizens. The essence of leadership requires 
that one do what is right and not politically expedient.
  This is a great opportunity for Governor Bush to show that he is 
concerned about women, children and minorities in urban and rural 
communities. I urge him to reconsider his position on the census 
question and do the right thing, to make sure that every citizen is 
counted, because, if you are not counted, then truly you do not count.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to urge all citizens of this country, and 
especially residents of the State of Illinois, to make sure that when 
you get the form, that you too do the right thing: Fill it out, 
complete it, send it in.
  Again I say to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), I 
commend her for being a stalwart, a true trooper, a real soldier, as 
one might say, of the cause, carrying the message throughout all 
America that if you are not counted, then you truly do not count. I 
tell the gentlewoman, she counts in the hearts of millions of Americans 
who know the great work that she has done, and we all appreciate it.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very, 
very much for those kind statements and his professional statements.
  Mr. Speaker, our next speaker is the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Menendez), the Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, who has been a 
leader on this issue and many other issues that are important to our 
country. I thank the gentleman for coming tonight.
  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman for 
organizing this special order this evening to speak to one of the most 
important peacetime activities that take place in our country, which is 
the census, and for

[[Page H1061]]

her leadership as the ranking Democrat on the committee of jurisdiction 
that has dealt with the census. The gentlewoman has done a fantastic 
job in ensuring that the census be as full and as accurate as every 
American I think wants it to be, and we salute the gentlewoman for her 
work.
  Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that as Americans throughout 
the country get that census form in the mail, this is, again, one of 
the most important peacetime activities that we will conduct, because 
the census is about over 100 programs, with $150 billion every year, 
that in a great part are determined by the demographic information, the 
statistical information that the census derives.
  So it is about schools, it is about seniors and home health care, it 
is about transportation dollars, it is about community-oriented 
policing, it is about housing, it is about every imaginable thing that 
we face in our communities, and the census dictates, to a large degree, 
the resources of Federal and State governments in the context of that 
information.
  It is also about representation. This is more than a snapshot about 
who we are at a given time, although that is important throughout our 
country, for us to know who we as Americans are. But it is also about 
representation, because from Congressional districts in our various 
States, to legislative districts in our respective States, to even our 
local council people who may run a ward or district across the entire 
spectrum of the political landscape, the question of who represents us 
will be determined again by the census and its demographic information.
  Lastly, it is about private sector decisions, which in fact make 
billions of dollars in decisions. Am I going to market to this part of 
the country? Am I going to open up my corporate headquarters in this 
part of the country? Am I going to open up a regional headquarters in 
this part of the country? Is this where I am going to put some of our 
stores?
  Mr. Speaker, the repercussions are enormous, and that decision is 
made to a large degree by the demographic information in the census. In 
essence, democracy requires demography. That is why the census is so 
important.
  For each one us who does not get counted, this is not about, well, I 
did the right thing, I sent my census form in. This is about being our 
brother's keeper.

                              {time}  1745

  It is about making sure that our family and our friends and everyone 
else that we know, our neighbors, make sure that their census form goes 
in, because when they do not get counted, each and every one of us is 
diminished. I am a New Jerseyan. When a New Jerseyan does not get 
counted, all New Jerseyans suffer. When someone from my community where 
I live does not get counted, all of the residents of my community 
suffer, because each person has actually a value. Roughly, that is 
about $1,000 per person for 10 years. For each individual person who 
does not get counted, roughly about $10,000, multiply that by the 
numbers of people undercounted and it is enormous. That means less 
opportunities for our children, for our grandparents, for our 
communities, for a better way of life.
  Now, that is why we Democrats have been fighting to ensure that we 
have the most accurate census possible in this millennium year. This 
fight began with an agreement within the scientific community that the 
use of modern scientific methods, which we call statistical sampling, 
would greatly improve the accuracy of the 2000 Census. But despite the 
evidence from the scientific community, Republicans have persistently 
opposed an accurate census that includes that scientific determination 
to have a sampling.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, when the Labor Department puts out labor statistics 
and we see what the unemployment rate is and Wall Street reacts to that 
and other businesses react to that, that is a statistical sample. It is 
in essence what scientists have said we can use and we already use that 
in the government. Why should we not use it for the census to ensure 
that we have the best possible count?
  I am really concerned when I see that one of the two Presidential 
candidates, George W. Bush, falling in lockstep with his Republican 
congressional leadership, has made his true intentions known that he 
does not support what scientists say makes sound science, which is a 
full and accurate count by using modern statistical sampling methods. 
When he takes that position, which came about only after various 
caucuses in the Congress wrote to him and said, what is your position? 
We have heard the position of Gore on this. What is your position on 
the question of the census and sampling? He finally came forth and 
said, I do not support sampling. Therefore, I do not support good 
science. But more importantly, when he fails to support sampling, he 
fails to support having every citizen ultimately counted. He has no 
interest in an accurate census, he has no interest in a fair and full 
representation for all Americans, and he has no interest in ensuring 
that my constituents in New Jersey, much less his constituents in 
Texas, receive the Federal funds their communities are entitled to 
receive.
  Mr. Speaker, let me give an example of that. In the 1990 census, for 
example, more than 486,000 Texans were missed in the 1990 census. This 
translated into a loss of $1 billion, $1 billion in Federal funds to 
the State of Texas during this past decade. Now, George W. Bush's 
decision earlier this month to oppose the use of modern statistical 
methods and thus oppose an accurate census demonstrates that he is not 
committed to correcting a problem.
  But it is not just about affecting the Texans. It affects my 
constituents in New Jersey. Because when we fail to use statistical 
sampling, we fail in every State that has realized an undercount to 
realize for those citizens their full potential and the resources that 
they deserve.
  So this decision actually means double trouble for Texans in the next 
decade. Estimates indicate that an undercount in 2000 similar to the 
one in 1990 could mean a loss of $2 billion in Federal funding for the 
State of Texas over the next decade, twice the amount in 1990. Now, 
usually when we identify a problem, common sense dictates that we try 
to solve it, I say to the gentlewoman; and so that ultimately is what 
we are trying to do here.
  Ultimately, what the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) is 
trying to do, what we are trying to do is to ensure an accurate count. 
In my own district, over 20,000 people were not counted in 1990. The 
State of New Jersey lost $231 million in Federal funding in that time 
period because of the undercount. That, and also lastly, because 
Hispanic Americans and other minorities who are among the greatest 
people who were undercounted, I hear all of these candidates talking 
about how they are reaching out to this community to ensure that, in 
fact, they vote for them. Well, if they want us to be counted on 
election day, they need to count on us in the census.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
and all of the other speakers tonight. I urge my colleagues and all 
Americans to support and participate in the census, to fill out their 
forms and mail them in and finally to urge this House to let the 
professionals at the Census Bureau do their job so that the 2000 Census 
will be the most accurate and inclusive ever.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, the Census, as we are all aware, is 
important to our nation for a host of serious reasons. Not only is the 
decennial census the largest peace-time mobilization of American 
resources and personnel, it is a great day for civic participation and 
engagement! This is perhaps one of the most important features of the 
Census.
  The day the Census is taken is the one day in which everyone has the 
opportunity to make their presence known! On April 1st, everyone is 
equal--every response is equally important to the nation; to states and 
local communities.
  In this great melting-pot we call the United States, the significance 
of Census participation cannot and should not be understated. 
Everyone--every citizen in this nation counts--and everyone should be 
counted--as the implications of the Census count are critical to each 
and everyone of us.
  The Census count influences the manner in which billions of federal 
dollars are allocated to states and local governments. This affects all 
of us--rich and poor alike--as these funds are used for our roadways, 
educational systems, hospitals, health care and for so many other 
important initiatives.
  That is why, I am dismayed with those who oppose using modern 
statistical methods to provide a more accurate Census count.
  We now know with certainty that the undercount of minorities is well-
documented.

[[Page H1062]]

For example, the 1990 census missed 8.4 million people. The majority of 
those overlooked were children, the poor and people of color. The 1990 
census missed: 4.4 percent of African Americans; 5 percent Hispanics; 
2.3 percent of Asians and Pacific Islanders; and over 12 percent of 
Native Americans.
  The 1990 census missed 7 percent of Black children, 5 percent of 
Hispanic children, and over 6 percent of Native American children.
  What is compassionate and logical is to guarantee the right of each 
and every American to both accurate and fair political representation 
and a fair share--a fair share--of federal funds for education, health 
care and transportation and the like.
  I am committed to ensuring that all Americans are counted and that 
all Americans receive their fair share of political representation and 
federal funds to which they are entitled.
  In my District, the devastation caused by Hurricane Floyd has 
displaced many residents of eastern North Carolina. My staff and I, as 
well as numerous Census officials have taken steps to ensure that 
displaced citizens are informed about how to participate in the Census.
  It is clear that Census 2000 is a civil rights issue. As such, it 
affects every citizen. Each of us is concerned with one or more of the 
following: Medicare; Medicaid; special education preschool programs; 
job training programs; disabled veterans outreach programs; adult 
education programs; bilingual education programs; child care programs 
and education programs; and Voting Rights Act.
  This list could continue because the Census count affects a wide-
range of programs and persons. However, what is fundamental regarding 
the significance of obtaining an accurate Census count is fair 
political representation and a fair distribution of federal funds.
  The Census Bureau will provide us with two sets of numbers for the 
2000 Census--an actual count and a statistically adjusted count. The 
Supreme Court ruled that statistically-based figures cannot be used for 
the reapportionment of U.S. House seats. However, states have the 
discretion as to which set they may use.
  I encourage everyone to seriously consider the implications of 
obtaining an accurate Census count--one that reflects the U.S. 
population in its totality and diversity. I am quite cognizant of the 
fact that all Americans count, that is why I am committed to ensuring 
that every American gets counted!

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