[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 92 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1484-E1485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 16, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2847) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, 
     Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2010, and for other purposes:

  MR. CROWLEY. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 2847, the Commerce, 
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010.
  The Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill makes investments 
that are important to hard-working families and vital to the well-being 
of local communities. It keeps cops on the beat, helps small and mid-
size companies remain competitive in the global economy, and provides 
legal assistance to those unable to afford it. It also funds the 
census, and this year's bill includes $7.4 billion in funding for the 
U.S. Census Bureau, matching the President's request.
  Every decade, we recount our nation's population. The Commerce 
Department oversees this massive effort, and it is gearing up for the 
2010 recount. The importance of the census cannot be overstated.
  The census is not just a head count of our population, but a snapshot 
of how Americans are living, including their family relationships, 
economic status and much more. The data collected is incredibly 
important because it is used to help dictate how federal and state 
money is appropriated for health, education and transportation 
initiatives; to guide local planning decisions, such as where to build 
schools and roads; and to determine private business investments, such 
as where to locate a company or expand business.
  There are, however, many challenges in conducting the census and 2010 
will be even more difficult than in years past. Population growth means 
there are more people to count and more homes to visit. Furthermore, 
among immigrant and non-English speaking populations, there are fears 
of deportation, language barriers, and mistrust of government, which 
have left many areas of our country undercounted in the past.
  We cannot let the past repeat itself. We have an obligation to our 
constituents to ensure they are counted in 2010. And, the $7.4 billion 
in this bill for the U.S. Census Bureau will be used, in part, to raise 
awareness of the upcoming census, educate individuals on the importance 
of their participation, and teach people about the benefits that will 
come to their community as a result of their participation.
  We must inform them that census workers are legally prohibited from 
reporting a resident's legal status. We must inform them that for the 
first time a bilingual form will be sent to neighborhoods with large 
Spanish speaking populations and, as before, the form will be available 
in other major languages. We must inform them that their participation 
will only serve to help them and their community.

[[Page E1485]]

  In the 2000 census, many members of immigrant and minority groups did 
not fill out the form--skewing the results and costing their 
communities federal funds. Many of these communities are the ones in 
greatest need of housing, education and legal services. We need to let 
our constituents know what is at stake so they will take the time to 
engage and participate.
  Standing up and being counted is not only a constitutional 
requirement, but an American tradition. It illustrates the size and 
diversity of the United States of America in the 21st century. That is 
why I hope all of my colleagues will work in their districts to ensure 
that we have the highest participation than any other census before. 
And, it is why I hope my colleagues will support the money in this bill 
for the 2010 census.

                          ____________________