[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 17, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H3442-H3443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 CENSUS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McHENRY. Madam Speaker, tomorrow the President's nominee for 
Commerce Secretary will have his confirmation hearing in the Senate.
  Gary Locke, the former Governor of Washington State, is the third 
nominee for this Cabinet position. As you recall, the second nominee, 
Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his name from consideration.

[[Page H3443]]

  Senator Gregg objected to the President's intention to move control 
of the Census Bureau from the Commerce Department into the White House. 
This unprecedented move to politicize the 2010 Decennial Census has met 
with strong opposition from across the political spectrum. The Obama 
administration has since backtracked and attempted to downplay its role 
regarding the census. To his credit, Governor Locke has expressed his 
intention to not cede control of the 2010 census to the White House 
should he be confirmed.
  I have encouraged our colleagues in the Senate Commerce Committee to 
ask Governor Locke several important questions at tomorrow's hearing, 
two of which are: What would he consider to be an inappropriate 
political interference from the White House regarding the census, and 
how would he respond to attempts from the White House to exert 
political influence over the conduct of the census?

                              {time}  1045

  I suspect that Governor Locke's responses to these questions will 
determine his fate in the Senate.
  But there is a second and equally important point of contention and 
controversy over the census. The statistical adjustment of census data 
is prohibited by Federal law. However, there are some partisans who 
refuse to give up the cause of data manipulation. They want to 
manipulate the census results for political gain, for their own 
political gain, and, in the process, undermine the integrity of the 
country's entire statistical system.
  I hope that our colleagues in the Senate will question Governor Locke 
about his thoughts regarding statistical adjustment. Governor Locke 
expressed his willingness to use adjustment as an ``accuracy check.'' 
This comment must be expanded upon for members of the Senate Commerce 
Committee and all interested parties. Republicans and Democrats alike 
must truly guard the integrity of the constitutionally-mandated census 
in the United States. The appropriate allocation of Federal funds 
depend upon an accurate census.
  My colleagues and I on the Census Subcommittee, of which I am the 
ranking member, are working to ensure that the 2010 Decennial Census is 
apolitical, fair and accurate. Governor Locke's confirmation should 
rest upon whether he shares this goal; a census free of White House 
political pressure and partisan influence and free of manipulation, and 
data manipulation in particular.

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