[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 13, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H300-H301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CENSUS DATA MUST BE ACCURATE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my concern 
regarding the story, which appeared in last Thursday's Wall Street 
Journal titled ``Bush's Next Recount Battle: Should Census Tallies Be 
Adjusted''. The story relays President Bush's assurances to House 
Republicans to put the ``fix on the Census'' by not including sampling 
figures in those numbers used to redraw Congressional District lines.

  This nation has already gone through one trauma related to the lack 
of accuracy in counts and the struggle to include every

[[Page H301]]

American's vote in last year's election. Now, we are faced with 
inaccuracy in one of the few, Constitutionally mandated, functions of 
Federal Government the enumeration of our nation's residents.
  Unfortunately the House Republicans reported to the Wall Street 
Journal that this issue has been settled without any discussion with 
the Democratic minority. The vast majority of undercounted residents in 
our nation are found in densely populated urban areas or vast tracts of 
sparsely populated rural communities.
  This issue is larger than the drawing of lines for Congressional 
Districts, it effects how much federal dollars will go to those 
communities where the undercounted can be found. We know that children 
in poverty are among the hardest hit by an inaccurate census. In the 
1990 census at least 532,769 and as many as 2,099,620 poor children 
were missed. In the City of Houston, according to the Census Monitoring 
Board, of the 128,602 children living in poverty about 8,906 were not 
counted.
  This meant that the City of Houston was cheated out of millions in 
federal dollars in vital services provided to our nation's poorest 
children, such as Medicaid, Head Start, Foster Care, Adoption 
Assistance, Social Service Block Grants, and even school lunch and 
child care assistance depend on accurate census data. This tragedy was 
repeated in every community throughout the United States and today, we 
only hear finger pointing and hand wringing about the state of 
education and government services around the nation. The first step to 
resolving the issues facing our nation is an accurate census. This is a 
great nation and we can handle the truth about our population, lets not 
cheat our children out of a healthy future.

  If the issues facing poor children in our nation are to be adequately 
addressed, we must be sure that the data used to determine the amount 
of federal resources which should be allotted to communities is 
accurate, which requires the use of sound statistical sampling.
  For this reason, we should include sampling in the final figures for 
the Census because it more accurately reflects the total number of 
people residing in a particular area. We know from past experience, no 
matter how much funding is provided and how much planning is done 
millions of Americans will go uncounted and if left to this 
Administration not provided for over the next 10 years. These people or 
our neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers who, for what ever 
reason, did not provide their statistical information for the census 
count. For this reason, the Census Bureau established ``The Accuracy 
and Coverage Evaluation,'' as a sampling method for the 2000 census. To 
accomplish the goal of a more accurate census, Census 2000 sent out its 
best enumerators to interview 314,000 households throughout the country 
in late summer. The results will provide the best opportunity for an 
accurate census. Traditionally, we know that African American, 
Hispanic, and Native Americans are under counted.
  We cannot talk of improving education in America if we do not learn 
from our own lessons, the first of which if someone is not a part of 
the census in your community, then everyone in that community will 
suffer. Schools will not be overcrowded just for poor schools in a 
district. All schools in the district will suffer from a census 
undercount because the federal government will not send enough 
resources to make the difference for all children in that district. I 
know that many citizens wonder at the rising cost of local property 
taxes and the declining conditions of public schools, I want to make it 
very clear that here is where all of the problems begin and end. If we 
as your elected representatives refuse steal your hard earned tax 
dollars from the needs of your community then we can have an 
educational system that is the envy of the world.
  I strongly support an accurate Census count of our nation's residents 
and I am against any effort by the Bush Administration or House 
Republicans to exclude scientifically valid sampling figures.
  The count of our citizens does not just determine the configuration 
of Congressional Districts it is the determinant for the distribution 
of vital government resources such as education, health care, fire 
protection, and infrastructure.
  Less fortunate residents of our nation cannot afford to not be 
counted. I ask that my Colleagues join me in demanding that sampling be 
part of the final Census figures for the year 2000.

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