[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE CENSUS OVERSIGHT EFFICIENCY AND MANAGEMENT REFORM 
                              ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 25, 2010

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing legislation, with 
my colleagues, Mr. Dent, Mr. Towns, and Mr. Pascrell, and with a 
companion bill being introduced in the Senate by Senators Carper and 
Coburn, that would ensure that the Census Bureau has the independence 
and transparency it needs to carry out its essential, constitutionally-
mandated function. This bill would ensure the Bureau is focused on the 
ten-year process of preparing for the Census despite the four-year 
cycles of Presidential administrations.
  This bill would mandate the Director at Census report directly to the 
Secretary so there is clear responsibility for supervision of the 
Census and to submit his or her own opinion in testimony to Congress 
even if it differs from the administration. It would make the Director 
of the Census Bureau a Presidential term appointment of five years, 
with the ten-year decennial cycle split into two, five-year phases--
planning and operational, creating continuity across administrations. 
And it would require that the Director, when submitting the Bureau's 
budget request to the Secretary, also share that request with Congress 
increasing transparency and oversight.
  The time to start worrying about the 2020 Census is now. Currently, 
the 2010 Census seems to be on a path to success, but if we are going 
to stop the repeated operational crises that have plagued each of the 
last four censuses, we need to change how we administer the census. I 
am confident the bill we are introducing today will move us toward that 
goal. And I want to thank my colleagues for joining me in starting the 
process for 2020 now.

                          ____________________