[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7833-H7840]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
A FAIR AND ACCURATE CENSUS ACT
General Leave
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise
and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8326.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1339 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 8326.
The Chair appoints the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) to
preside over the Committee of the Whole.
{time} 1642
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 8326) to amend title 13, United States Code, to improve the
operations of the Bureau of the Census, and for other purposes, with
Mr. Blumenauer in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed 1
hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform or their respective
designees.
The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) will each control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326, the Ensuring a Fair
and Accurate Census Act.
The decennial Census is a critical part of our democratic system. In
fact, it is required by the Constitution. The results of the Census
determine the distribution of over $1.5 trillion in Federal funds,
apportionment of the House of Representatives and State legislative
districts, and public and private sector investments.
{time} 1645
It is critical that the Census count is complete, fair, and accurate.
The Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act will help make sure that it
is.
This bill is informed by the Oversight Committee's multi-year
investigation into political interference by the previous
administration during the 2020 Census, including the effort to add a
citizenship question despite strong opposition from expert
statisticians and demographers at the Census Bureau.
In fact, the Census Bureau's top data scientist warned that the
citizenship question ``harms the quality of the Census count.''
The Supreme Court ruled in favor with the Democrats and ultimately
stepped in to block the citizenship question, ruling that the rationale
for adding it to the Census ``seems to have been contrived.''
The previous administration took other steps that risked undermining
the independent, nonpartisan nature of the Census. They appointed an
unprecedented eight political appointees where there were previously
only three, and they tried to rush the processing of the Census data,
despite repeated warnings from career staff that this would compromise
the integrity of the Census count.
Partisan manipulation of the Census is simply wrong. My bill would
protect the Census and ensure this cannot happen again, regardless of
which party is in power.
We are considering this legislation at a critical time. While the
2030 Census is years away, the design and planning began at the Bureau
even before the 2020 numbers were released.
As our Nation's largest peacetime mobilization, the Census requires
detailed and thorough planning. However, even the best plans face
challenges in the field, and the 2020 Census faced unprecedented
obstacles.
In the runup to the 2020 Census, the Bureau was consistently denied
the appropriations--the funding that it needed--to execute its
operational plans. Among other impacts, this uncertainty forced
cutbacks in outreach to communities that are considered hard to reach.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the Census Bureau to suspend field
operations at the most critical time; and most damaging, the previous
administration demanded a last-minute, untested question on
citizenship, and installed a record number of political appointees with
unclear duties to get that done.
This legislation would vest key decision-making authority over the
Census in the appropriate Senate-confirmed official, the Census
Director. It would limit the number of political appointees within the
Bureau to no more than four, which is consistent with historical
precedent.
This bill would also require that new Census questions be thoroughly
researched and analyzed, certified by the Secretary of Commerce,
evaluated by the GAO, and shared with Congress before being added to
the Census questionnaire.
This bill will also increase transparency and support long-term
planning by requiring the Bureau to submit its projected 5-year budget
estimates to both the President and Congress.
Finally, the bill codifies existing advisory committees charged with
engaging with hard-to-count communities and advancing best practices in
the field of data science. It also establishes an advisory committee
aimed directly at ensuring the 2030 Census is successful.
I am proud that my bill has the support of four former directors of
the Census Bureau, who served under administrations led by both
Democrats and Republicans. These former directors have 15 years of
experience serving
[[Page H7834]]
as Census Directors supporting five decennial Censuses.
In a statement, they commended the bill's objective and said that it
``protects the independence and integrity of the scientific mission of
the Census Bureau.'' These former directors concluded, ``trust in our
Nation's official data is essential to the democracy and the economy,
and this legislation will undergird'' and build that trust.
Mr. Chair, I include their statements in the Record as well as an
editorial from ``The Washington Post'' titled: ``The Trump
Administration's Assault on the Census Must Not Happen Again,'' along
with two additional editorials, and a letter from Population
Association of America and Association of Population Centers.
Mr. Chair, this editorial concluded, ``The Trump administration's
assault on the integrity of the Census should be an urgent warning. Too
much rests on the decennial count to allow it to be exploited for
partisan gain.''
Statement by Form U.S. Census Bureau Directors--July 12, 2022
In Support of House Legislation ``Ensuring a Fair and & Accurate Census
Act''
We applaud the legislation introduced this week by the
Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Rep.
Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) that we believe will help preserve
and protect the independence and integrity of the scientific
mission at the U.S. Census Bureau.
Having helped to plan, execute or lead five decennial
censuses serving nine Presidents of both parties, and having
closely observed the 2020 Decennial process, we strongly feel
the reforms in the ``Ensuring a Fair and & Accurate Census
Act'' would help build greater trust and confidence in the
essential data the Census Bureau supplies to the nation.
Collectively, the provisions of this bill strengthen the
professional roles of career scientists, provide greater
transparency into methods and processes across the 130 Census
surveys and censuses, and enhance Congressional oversight
over Bureau functions.
Trust in the nation's official data is essential to the
democracy and the economy, and this legislation will
undergird that trust.
Vincent Barabba,
(1973-76 & 1979-81).
Robert Groves,
(2009-2012).
Kenneth Prewitt,
(1998-2001).
John Thompson,
(2013-2017).
____
[From the Washington Post Editorial Board, July 26, 2022]
Opinion: The Trump Administration's Assault on the Census Must Not
Happen Again
The Trump administration engaged in a years-long, multi-
pronged effort to sabotage the U.S. census, largely centered
on adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 count. A new
report, released last week by the House Committee on
Oversight and Reform, paints a grim picture of what was
happening behind the scenes.
A draft of an August 2017 memo, prepared by a political
appointee in the Commerce Department, examined the idea of
using citizenship data for apportioning seats in the House of
Representatives, concluding it would likely be
unconstitutional. Later versions omitted that language and
came down in favor of including the question.
The newly released documents undercut the Trump
administration's repeated claims that the citizenship
question had nothing to do with apportionment. The
Constitution plainly states: ``Representatives shall be
apportioned among the several States according to their
respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in
each State.''
At the time, then-Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and other
officials offered various unconvincing justifications for
adding the question, most frequently that it would help
enforce the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court blocked the
move, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. calling the
rationale ``contrived.'' The House report reinforces that
conclusion.
The census is a crucial tool, used not only for
apportionment and redistricting, but also for allocating
approximately $1.5 trillion in annual federal aid to states
and localities. Experts warned that a citizenship question
would frighten immigrants and lead to the undercounting of
minority communities.
Though the question was ultimately not included, the
lengthy and public battle over it appears to have been
enough: The Census Bureau reported that Black, Hispanic and
Native Americans were undercounted at higher levels in 2020
compared with 2010--Hispanics by a statistically significant
amount--while White and Asian Americans were overcounted.
Never mind that this might have backfired on Republicans,
with the bureau reporting it significantly undercounted
populations in Florida and Texas--red states with large
minority communities--and overcounted populations in blue
states such as Rhode Island and Minnesota. The accuracy of
the census depends in no small part on its credibility, which
has been severely damaged.
The next census is in 2030, but--given the scale of the
undertaking and importance of the results--Congress should
work quickly to insulate it from political interference. A
bill recently introduced by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.),
chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee, would do just
that. The Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act would
restrict the number of political appointees at the Census
Bureau, bar the removal of a bureau director without just
cause and require new questions to be submitted to Congress
ahead of time. It would also mandate new questions be
``researched, tested and certified'' by the commerce
secretary and ``evaluated by the Government Accountability
Office.''
Though it was not able to implement its most drastic plans,
the Trump administration's assault on the integrity of the
census should be an urgent warning. Too much rests on the
decennial count to allow it to be exploited for partisan
gain.
____
[From the Washington Post, Sept. 13, 2020]
Opinion: The Census Is on the Verge of Disaster
(By the Editorial Board)
Here is one of the least surprising revelations ever leaked
from the federal government: According to an internal Census
Bureau document, major, uncorrectable errors may result from
forcing the bureau's enumerators and number-crunchers to rush
through the decennial count. House Oversight and Reform
Committee Chair Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) revealed the
document this month, claiming it was a presentation for
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the bureau. It
shows that the decision of Senate Republicans and the Trump
administration to give the bureau no more time to finish a
count that started late and has encountered pandemic-related
problems threatens to corrupt for a decade the process of
distributing congressional seats and doling out some $1.5
trillion in annual federal aid.
``A compressed review period creates risk for serious
errors not being discovered in the data--thereby
significantly decreasing data quality,'' the document warns.
To be clear, this would not be the fault of the bureau's
professionals, whom Republicans have put in an impossible
position. They are facing a statutory deadline requiring that
they deliver their count by Dec. 31. The bureau had
previously asked for more time. House Democrats authorized a
deadline extension. Senate Republicans failed to do so, and
the Trump administration ordered last month that door-
knocking conclude by Sept. 30, weeks earlier than the experts
had hoped.
The newly revealed document shows that, at the time the
short timetable was announced, the bureau knew that
``abbreviated processes or eliminated activities . . . will
reduce accuracy.'' Not only would door-knocking end weeks
sooner, but also the number-crunching needed after the door-
knockers finished their work would be compressed into 92
days. Since 1990, the number-crunching has consumed between
140 and 185 days, according to Ms. Maloney. ``Serious errors
discovered in the data may not be fixed--due to lack of time
to research and understand the root cause or to re-run and
re-review one or multiple state files,'' the document warns.
``A compressed review period creates risk for errors being
present in the data.''
The only perspective from which this is not a potential
disaster is that of Republicans seeking maximum partisan
advantage. The Trump administration already tried once to
skew the count by adding a citizenship question to the census
form, which would have deterred immigrants, even legal ones,
from responding. The Supreme Court halted that move. Yet
rushing the census might help Republicans because poor and
minority communities tend to be the ones undercounted, which
would make many Democratic-leaning states appear to be less
populous than they are--and therefore due less money and
political representation.
The Senate should have passed a covid-19 relief bill months
ago, with a census deadline extension in it. With the bureau
up against a wall, senators should not wait to agree on the
rest of a relief package to give the counters more time. The
census needs clarity, now.
____
Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of
Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Colleague: I urge you to support H.R. 8326, the
Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act. The editorial board
piece below appeared in the N.Y. Daily News today. The bill
works to improve the operations at the Census Bureau and
guards against political meddling.
The bill has the support of four former, bipartisan,
Directors of the Census Bureau as well as the Population
Association of America and the Association of Population
Centers.
[From New York Daily News, Sept. 14, 2022]
Keeping the Census Honest: Rep. Carolyn Maloney has the Right Bill to
Stop Politicization of the Count
(By Daily News Editorial Board)
Donald Trump and his secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross,
tried to inject politics into the U.S. Census Bureau for the
2020 decennial count of every person in America. They did it
by seeking to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
But New York
[[Page H7835]]
led 18 states in suing and won before the U.S. Supreme Court
in 2019, which blocked the Trump/Ross citizenship question.
That we know, but now Rep. Carolyn Maloney's Committee on
Oversight and Reform has found even more evidence and proof
that it was all a political ploy, not rooted in any
legitimate demographic reasoning. To prevent future such
manipulation, Maloney has a bill on the House floor today to
protect the integrity of the Census Bureau. We hope that the
measure passes with large majorities of both parties.
After Chief Justice John Roberts and the high court stopped
the citizenship question, Trump and Ross tried again in the
summer of 2020, after the count was completed, with a
memorandum instructing the Census Bureau to exclude
undocumented immigrants from the apportionment process which
divides up the 435 House seats among the states based on
population gains and losses in the prior decade. Again, the
federal courts stepped in and the clearly unconstitutional
maneuver was abandoned.
Still, the sustained efforts targeting immigrants
undoubtedly had the intended effect to dampen the
participation rate of non-citizens, documented or not, which
was Trump's goal from the beginning.
Maloney's bill protects the director of the Bureau of the
Census from meddling by secretary of commerce, an appointee
and supporter of the president. Any new questions on the
census forms must be submitted in advance to Congress and
certified that they satisfy established statistical policies
and procedures (not just because a president wants it). The
Congress is also to receive a biannual report detailing
preparations for the next big count.
We got lucky last time that the courts stopped Trump and
Ross from trying to warp the census numbers. Next time we
shouldn't have to take that risk. Pass the Maloney bill.
Sincerely,
Carolyn B. Maloney,
Chairwoman.
____
Population Association of America,
Alexandria, VA, September 12, 2022.
Hon. Carolyn Maloney,
Rayburn House Office Building,
Washington, DC.
Dear Congresswoman Maloney: On behalf of the organizations
we lead, the Population Association of America and
Association of Population Centers, we are writing to express
support for your efforts to enact constructive reforms at the
U.S. Census Bureau. Your bill, H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and
Accurate Census Act, contains several provisions that would
strengthen the Census Bureau as the nation's principal
statistical agency.
We are pleased that the bill, for example, would empower
the Census Bureau to communicate its annual funding needs
more directly to the public and clarify the process by which
the agency adds and approves questions on the decennial
census. Further, we applaud provisions that reauthorize
existing advisory committees, such as the Census Scientific
Advisory Committee and the National Advisory Committee, both
of which have served as effective forums for data users and
experts, including population scientists, to engage with the
Census Bureau.
H.R. 8326 is an important first step to ensure the Bureau
can sustain its critical mission and operations while
undergoing necessary adaptions in preparation for the 2030
Census. We congratulate you on your leadership and look
forward to working with you and your colleagues as it
proceeds through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sonalde Desai,
President, Population Association of America.
Dr. Sara R. Curran,
President, Association of Population Centers.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chair, this bill is sensible
and is driven by facts uncovered in our investigation and input from
both civil rights groups and professionals at the Census Bureau.
We must have a full, fair, and accurate Census count so that every
American can have faith that they and their communities are receiving
the representation and the services that they deserve. To do that, we
need a nonpartisan, expert-driven Census Bureau. This bill is a strong
first step to meet that goal.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Today, Americans continue to face several crises created by the Biden
administration: Sky-high inflation, painfully high gas prices, and
supply chain shortages.
President Biden's border crisis is allowing waves of illegal
immigrants and fentanyl shipments to flood across our southern border.
Our children are suffering from historic learning losses and a mental
health crisis because this administration allowed radical teachers
unions to keep schools closed.
Yet what are Democrats prioritizing today instead of these crises
impacting Americans' everyday lives? The Democrats' Ensuring a Fair and
Accurate Census Act.
This bill has nothing to do with the American people's priorities. In
fact, it will do nothing to make the Census more fair and accurate.
Instead, it places a great deal of power in the hands of unelected
bureaucrats and hamstrings future Presidents.
During the prior Census, the President sought to include in the
Census a question simply asking respondents whether they were American
citizens. The Supreme Court found this was constitutional but that the
Census Bureau had gone about it improperly.
This bill would prevent the inclusion of such a question in the
future, a question key to upholding the principle of one citizen, one
vote.
Now, under the Biden administration, there are questions about
whether the Department of Commerce delivered accurate apportionment
results derived from the Census. Those results were critical because
they determined the apportionment of this body's 435 congressional
districts among the several States. We still don't know for sure
whether the apportionment results were fair and accurate.
But this bill does nothing to fix that problem or any of the other
real problems associated with the 2020 Census. Indeed, it will make it
easier for future Census results to drive the apportionment of
congressional districts unfairly to favor blue, Democrat-leaning States
over red, Republican-leaning States.
Why is that?
Because the bill weakens the accountability of the Census Bureau to
the President and the Secretary of Commerce, committing by statute all
operational, statistical, and technical decisions about the Census to
the Census Bureau's Director.
The bill makes it harder to overrule the Director even when the
President, the Secretary, or Congress are concerned, the Director's
decisions will yield an unfair or inaccurate Census.
Making matters worse, the bill allows only an unaccountable career
employee to serve as acting director when no Senate-confirmed director
is in place.
Finally, the bill severely constrains the ability of future Censuses
to include important new questions, such as the citizenship question,
which a majority of Americans want asked on the Census.
But it is precisely the counting of actual citizens that ensures
Census results will produce congressional districts fairly,
representing all citizens in Congress.
During the Oversight and Reform Committee's consideration of this
bill, Republicans offered amendments that would have cured these
problems. These amendments would have made sure Census Bureau officials
remained accountable to the voters through the President. They would
have made sure a question on citizenship would have been included in
future Censuses, guaranteeing a fair basis for the apportionment of
congressional districts.
But were Democrats concerned then about ensuring a fair and accurate
Census by supporting these amendments? No. Democrats voted them down on
a party-line vote.
Mr. Chairman, the American people deserve better from this
legislative body. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Government Operations for the Oversight Committee.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 8326, the
Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act.
When Democrats took majority in the House in 2018, I was asked what
our top oversight projects were going to be. When I said, among them,
the Census, it elicited surprise and even some laughs.
The Census is a huge dataset that underpins whether we fairly
represent Americans and how we spend the entire Federal budget.
The Trump administration and its partisan Census Bureau undermined
this critical task in March of 2018 when it planned to add a
citizenship question
[[Page H7836]]
to the Census that would have violated the Constitution and reduced
response rates, and they knew it.
I joined my colleague and friend, the late Chairman Elijah Cummings,
in leading the fight against this question. I then partnered with
Chairwoman Maloney to block the Trump administration from cutting off
the Census deadline early and excluding undocumented immigrants from
the Census count.
Our committee's dogged oversight work prevented these illegal and
immoral attempts to subvert our very democracy as enshrined in the
Constitution. However, we need permanent reforms to ensure that no
matter the President or political environment, the Census remains
apolitical. That is why we must support this act.
This bill requires the Secretary of Commerce to certify that any new
questions on the decennial Census must meet best practices standards,
and it caps the Census Bureau at three political appointees,
eliminating a President's ability to flood the Bureau with his acolytes
and loyalists.
Congress must bolster the Census Bureau now, so we are prepared for a
fair and accurate 2030 Census.
Mr. Chair, I thank Chairwoman Maloney for her leadership and for
sponsoring this bill.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Biggs).
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this bill. The
intention of this bill is clear: It is to prevent a future Republican
President from adding a citizenship question to the United States
Census.
And yet the question of citizenship was first offered by President
Thomas Jefferson in 1800; and from its introduction in the Census of
1820 through 1950, that question was included on every Census.
Now, when you think about the language of the Constitution itself, it
gives Congress the authority to call a Census to enumerate the
population. And for what was the purpose? The main purpose, of course,
was for apportionment, for representation of the citizens of the United
States.
The reality, though, is it has become far more than that, and that
seems to be permissible within certain limits of the Constitution
itself.
Since 1950, there have been additional Federal surveys that have
included some form of the question of citizenship, not necessarily
included in the Census itself.
But in the recent case cited by Chairwoman Maloney just moments ago,
where she said that they threw it out and said you can't ask that
question, it was not because of the question. In fact, the Supreme
Court specifically said in Department of Commerce v. New York that
Congress has the right to ask that question, and the Department of
Commerce has the authority to include the question of citizenship. The
decision states, ``The enumeration clause permits Congress, and by
extension the Secretary, to inquire about citizenship on the
questionnaire.''
{time} 1700
That rationale does not work from the chairwoman. I realize a lot of
my colleagues don't realize and understand and appreciate what is
happening on our southern border. From October of last year through the
end of July, Border Patrol has reported nearly 2 million encounters
along our southern border, that does not include who entered and have
gotten away.
Nearly a quarter of the encounters feature a person who had at least
one prior encounter in the past 12 months. We, as policymakers, if we
are going to get policy and data, which was just alluded to by Mr.
Connolly, we should have some of the most important data, and that is
who is in this country illegally and who is a citizen and who is not.
Whether someone is a citizen is an important datapoint that should be
recorded on the Census and on other Federal surveys. It is well past
time that Congress direct the Census Bureau to ask this question like
it did for over 100 years.
This bill is, instead, an attempt to cynically block the inclusion of
the citizenship question on the Census and seeks to insulate career
staff at the Census Bureau from any accountability. This is not--this
is not a good bill.
This bill does not help us get to where we need to get in terms of
understanding what is going on in this country so we can make policy
that is good.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, this bill does not address Congressional apportionment.
It is about making the Census fair and accurate.
Nevertheless, our Census count has never been limited based on
citizenship and there is no doubt that doing so would violate the
Constitution. The 14th Amendment says seats in Congress are based on
the whole number of persons in each State. Persons, not citizens.
Last Congress, I chaired a hearing with four former Census directors
who served under both Democrats and Republicans. All four agreed that
excluding undocumented immigrants from the apportionment count violated
the Constitution. That is also the position taken by previous
administrations, including under Republican Presidents.
In fact, my committee recently uncovered a draft internal legal memo
from the Trump administration about the citizenship question. That memo
admitted that using citizenship data to exclude immigrants from the
apportionment counts would violate, ``over 200 years of precedent.''
That damning language was removed from the final memo used to push the
citizenship question.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Danny K. Davis).
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairwoman
for her outstanding leadership of this committee. It has been a
pleasure to serve with you and under you and know that your interests
go far beyond anything that I have heard this evening.
As a matter of fact, the Census is very important for far more
reasons than just apportionment or just for looking at one issue or
looking at immigration. I guess I have been involved in Census-taking
for about 40 years, and every 10 years we go through this angst in my
community, whether or not we are going to get a fair and accurate
count, whether or not the people who are there are going to be counted
so that resources which come as a result will flow back to the area.
Well, that has not happened. And even after the expressions of the
last round, it was determined that there were undercounts, that there
were people missed. And so everything that we can do to try and make
sure that the Census taken is fair, accurate, and comprehensive, we
need to do that.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I have no more
speakers on the underlying bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, the U.S. House of Representatives should focus on
helping the American people survive economic turmoil and defending our
borders and national security.
I urge House Democrats to get back to what the American people
elected us to do: Conduct oversight over the Federal Government and the
Biden administration, which is on a path to destroy America.
We need to hold hearings, conduct oversight, and pass legislation
addressing the crises affecting America today. That is our
constitutional responsibility. But instead, we are spending valuable
resources and time on divisive political messaging bills.
I am just amazed that the Democrats advocate for legislation on the
House floor pertaining to the Census, which would ask a question about
your sexual preference, but they want to pass legislation to oppose
asking the question whether you are a legal citizen or not. That is
just another example of tone-deaf leadership. That is not what the
American people want.
Mr. Chairman, I oppose H.R. 8326, and I urge my colleagues to do the
same.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the
balance of my time.
I stress the urgency and importance of this legislation. The United
States Census Bureau is a foundational institution and one that we must
take all necessary steps to protect.
[[Page H7837]]
The Census is for all people and should count every person. Efforts
to politicize the Bureau have real consequences that can reduce
response rates and thereby lessen the representation and resources
available to communities.
I thank my colleagues for speaking in support of this bill, the
former directors and advocates that have lent their support, and I
encourage us all to vote in favor of ensuring a fair and accurate
Census count.
No matter the party affiliation, every one of us has an interest in
providing our best services to our constituents.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 8326
and the underlying amendments, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8326,
the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act, and thank you for bringing
this vital legislation to the floor today.
I applaud the Committee on Oversight and Reform for this necessary
and thoughtful bill. By establishing structural and functional
standards, H.R. 8326 would insulate the Census Bureau from the type of
tactics and abuse it encountered in the few years preceding the 2020
decennial census count.
Among its key provisions are the statutory codification of the
Director's and Deputy Director's roles. Doing so would improve the
Census Bureau's operational effectiveness, accountability, and
transparency.
Specifying their duties also provides the opportunity to establish
responsibilities that will enhance the work product of the Census by
improving the fair and accurate counting of all Americans.
In that context, I offered an amendment to H.R. 8326, and I would
like to thank the Rules Committee for making my amendment in order, and
the Committee on Oversight and Reform for including it in the En Bloc
amendment.
By reforming the operations of the Census Bureau, this bill enables
us to ensure that racial and ethnic equity in the decennial count will
be a priority in future decennial counts.
My amendment would enhance the bill's operational impact.
It would specify that the deputy director appoint an official with
responsibility to optimize racial and ethnic equity in the Census
count. To ensure that equity be a priority, this official would report
directly to the director and deputy director.
My amendment directs the equity official to engage and collaborate
with organizations that have influence with racial and ethnic groups,
develop strategies and tactics to maximize participation of these
populations, and rectify the undercount that has been typical of recent
Census counts, especially among immigrants and homeless people.
The status of the efforts to optimize racial and ethnic equity will
also be included in the Census Bureau's biannual reports to Congress,
to ensure accountability and bolster the likelihood of progress.
Optimization of racial and ethnic equity in the Census count requires
designation of a high-ranking official with direct responsibility for
achieving this goal and reports directly to the Census leadership.
My amendment establishes that function, makes racial and ethnic
equity in the decennial count a priority, specifies key strategies that
must be undertaken, and ensures that Congress receives regular reports
about the progress toward the goal.
H.R. 8326 is an excellent bill with vital reforms that are aptly
augmented by my amendment's use of this opportunity to, at the same
time, advance equity in the Census count.
In light of the decennial count's extremely consequential impact in
terms of funding allocation formulas, political district apportionment,
and other uses, it is imperative that the Census Bureau elevate racial
and ethnic equity to a top priority in its counting strategies and
procedures.
My amendment would create a framework for achieving this objective.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Carter of Louisiana). All time for general
debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment
under the 5-minute rule.
In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by
the Committee on Oversight and Reform, printed in the bill, an
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules
Committee print 117-464, modified by the amendment printed in part D of
House Report 117-464, shall be considered as adopted.
The bill, as amended, shall be considered as an original bill for
purpose of further amendment under the 5-minute rule and shall be
considered as read.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:
H.R. 8326
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring a Fair and Accurate
Census Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
AUTHORITIES.
(a) Budget Requests.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 1 of title 13,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 13
the following:
``Sec. 14. Budget requests
``(a) With respect to the budget request of the Bureau for
fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter submitted to
the President for inclusion in the annual budget submission
under section 1105(a) of title 31, the Director shall include
in such request to the Secretary the estimated costs of
carrying out the duties of the Bureau during the five-year
period beginning on the fiscal year covered by such request.
``(b) On the date that the estimate of costs is submitted
to the Secretary under subsection (a), the Director shall
submit such estimate to the Committee on Oversight and Reform
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the
Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and
the Senate, and the Committees on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives and the Senate.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for such
subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to
section 13 the following new item:
``14. Budget requests.''.
(b) Duties.--Section 21(c) of the title 13, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Duties.--
``(1) In general.--The Director shall perform such duties
as may be imposed upon the Director by law, regulations, or
orders of the Secretary. The Director shall report directly
to the Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
``(2) Decennial census.--Any operational, statistical, or
technical decision for any decennial census of population may
be made only by the Director.''.
(c) Advisory Committees; Deputy Director.--
(1) In general.--Section 21 of title 13, United States
Code, as amended by subsection (b), is further amended--
(A) in the section heading, by striking ``duties'' and
inserting ``Deputy Director; advisory committees''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Deputy Director.--
``(1) In general.--There shall be in the Bureau a single
Deputy Director of the Bureau, to be appointed by the
Director. The position of Deputy Director shall be a career
reserved position (as that term is defined in section
3132(a)(8) of title 5). The Deputy Director shall be selected
from among any career appointee (as that term is defined in
section 3132(a)(4) of such title) at any agency. The
individual appointed to the position of Deputy Director shall
be made from individuals who have a demonstrated ability in
managing large organizations and experience in the
collection, analysis, and use of statistical data.
``(2) Functions.--The Deputy Director shall perform such
functions as the Director shall designate. During any absence
or disability of the Director, the Deputy Director shall act
as Director.
``(3) Vacancy.--In the event of a vacancy in the office of
Director, or when the Director is absent or unable to serve,
the Deputy Director shall act as Director until a Director is
appointed. If no individual is serving as Deputy Director,
the highest level career employee of the Bureau shall act as
Director until a Deputy Director or Director is appointed.
This paragraph shall serve as the exclusive means of
designating an acting Director.
``(e) Advisory Committees.--
``(1) General authority.--In accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), and subject to
paragraph (2), the Director may establish advisory committees
to provide advice with respect to the mission of the Bureau.
Members of any such committee, including a committee
established under paragraph (2), shall serve without
compensation, but shall be entitled to transportation
expenses and per diem in lieu of subsistence in accordance
with section 5703 of title 5.
``(2) Specific advisory committees.--
``(A) Bureau of the census advisory committee on
statistical quality standards.--The Director shall appoint a
committee, to be known as the `Advisory Committee on
Statistical Quality Standards', composed of five members to
review and provide recommendations on the statistical quality
standards of the Bureau that guide the production and release
of all Bureau decennial census products.
``(B) National advisory committee and scientific advisory
committee.--There are hereby established the Bureau of the
Census Scientific Advisory Committee and the Census Bureau
National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other
Populations, as described in the charters for each such
committee published on March 15, 2022, and March 23, 2022,
respectively, or any subsequent charters. Such advisory
committees shall operate under the terms and conditions set
forth in the applicable charter.
[[Page H7838]]
``(C) 2030 census advisory committee.--The Director shall
appoint an advisory committee, substantially similar to the
2010 Census Advisory Committee, consisting of up to 20 member
organizations to address policy, research, and technical
issues related to the design and implementation of the 2030
decennial census and the American Community Survey.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for
subchapter II of chapter 1 of such title is amended by
striking the item relating to section 21 and inserting the
following:
``21. Director of the Census; Deputy Director; advisory committees.''.
(d) Position Requirements.--Section 22 of title 13, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``All permanent'' and inserting ``(a) In
General.--All permanent''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Positions.--Each position within the Bureau shall be
a career position within the civil service, except for the
position of the Director and not more than three other
positions.''.
SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DECENNIAL
CENSUS.
Section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
``(g) Limitations and Requirements.--
``(1) Notice to congress of subjects, types of information,
and questions.--In the 2030 decennial census of population
and each decennial census thereafter, the Secretary may not
include any subject, type of information, or question that
was not submitted to Congress in accordance with subsection
(f).
``(2) Biannual reports.--
``(A) Submission to congress.--Not later than April 1 of
the calendar year beginning after the date of enactment of
the Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act and biannually
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
that--
``(i) describes each component of the operational plan for
the subsequent decennial census of population; and
``(ii) includes a detailed statement on the status of all
research, testing, and operations that are part of the
Bureau's comprehensive plan for the decennial census.
``(B) Internet publication.--On the date on which the
Secretary submits a report under subparagraph (A), the
Secretary shall publish the report on the public internet
website of the Bureau.
``(3) Secretary certification.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary, upon the date of
submission of the report required by subsection (f)(2), shall
submit, to the committees of Congress having legislative
jurisdiction over the census, a certification stating that
any question that has not appeared on the previous two
decennial censuses has been researched, studied, and tested
according to established statistical policies and procedures.
``(B) GAO review.--Not later than 6 months after the
Secretary submits a certification under paragraph (2), the
Comptroller General of the United States shall review such
certification and submit a report to Congress on whether the
questions to be included in the census have been researched,
studied, and tested according to established statistical
policies and procedures.''; and
(3) in subsection (i), as so redesignated, by inserting
``Definition.--'' before ``As used in''.
SEC. 4. DECENNIAL CENSUS LIFECYCLE COST ESTIMATES.
Section 141 of title 13, United States Code, as amended by
section 3, is further amended by inserting after subsection
(g) the following:
``(h) Lifecycle Costs.--
``(1) Estimate.--Not later than January 1, 2026, and every
ten years thereafter, the Director shall transmit to the
chairs of the committees described in paragraph (3) a
lifecycle cost estimate for the decennial census of
population first occurring after the date of such
transmittal. Such estimate shall include the following with
respect to such lifecycle:
``(A) An estimate of costs by each fiscal year.
``(B) Estimates of capital versus operating expenses.
``(C) Staffing projections for each year.
``(D) Assumptions about response rates, wages, and other
economic variables.
``(2) Update.--On the date the President submits the annual
budget under section 1105(a) of title 31 during any calendar
year a decennial of census of population is taken under this
section, and on the date such annual budget is submitted
during the immediately preceding four calendar years, the
Director shall transmit a report describing any changes to
the applicable lifecycle estimate transmitted under paragraph
(1). Such report shall include the following:
``(A) The basis for any such changes.
``(B) Projected impacts on response rates, staffing
requirements, or costs throughout the lifecycle.
``(C) An explanation of any differences in budgetary
resources between the amount requested in the President's
annual budget request and the lifecycle cost estimate, as
updated by this paragraph.
``(3) Committees.--The committees described in this
paragraph are the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the
House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Senate.''.
The Acting CHAIR. No further amendment to the bill, as amended, shall
be in order except those printed in part E of House Report 117-464 and
amendments en bloc described in section 8 of House Resolution 1339.
Each such further amendment may be offered only in the order printed
in the report, by a Member designated in the report, shall be
considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the
report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent,
shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand
for division of the question.
It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on
Oversight and Reform or her designee to offer amendments en bloc
consisting of amendments printed in part E of the report not earlier
disposed of. Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be
debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair
and ranking minority member of the committee or their designees, shall
not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for
division of the question.
Amendments En Bloc Offered by Danny K. Davis of Illinois
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chair, as the designee of the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney), I rise to offer
amendments en bloc.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
Amendments en bloc consisting of amendment Nos. 1 and 3 printed in
part E of House Report 117-464, offered by Danny K. Davis of Illinois:
amendment No. 1 Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas
Page 4, after line 16, insert the following:
``(4) Census equity official.--The Deputy Director shall
appoint an employee within the Bureau, who shall report
directly to the Deputy Director, and who shall be responsible
for optimizing racial and ethnic equity in the decennial
census of population, including by--
``(A) enhancing outreach to, and collaborating with,
organizations and stakeholders that have demonstrated their
influence with racial and ethnic communities that
historically have had census participation rates that are
lower than those of the overall population;
``(B) maximizing participation among racial and ethnic
demographic cohorts that have historically had census
participation rates that are lower than those of the overall
population;
``(C) rectifying the undercount of cohorts of the
population that have been undercounted in recent decennial
census counts; and
``(D) any other strategies, initiatives, activities, or
operations that would optimize such equity.''.
Page 8, line 4, after ``census'' insert the following: ``,
and including a detailed statement on the status of any
initiatives, developments, and operations within the purview
of the official appointed by the Deputy Director under
section 21(d)(4)''.
____
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Case of Hawaii
Add at the end the following:
SEC. 5. REPORT ON LOCAL-LEVEL DATA AND LOCAL FIELD
OPERATIONS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Director of the Bureau of the Census shall
submit to Congress a report that--
(1) reviews the Bureau's current processes for consulting
and engaging with jurisdictions and local partners in
conducting the decennial census, including as it relates to
preventing and addressing inaccuracies;
(2) provides an update on the Bureau's progress in
implementing several of the Government Accountability
Office's recommendations as it relates to the collection and
utilization of local-level data and coordination of local
field operations; and
(3) outlines additional resources needed to support and
improve the Bureau's capacity to conduct an accurate count of
the Nation's population.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1339, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
Comer) each will control 10 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support
these
[[Page H7839]]
amendments. Black, Latino, and indigenous communities all were
significantly undercounted in the 2020 Census.
One of the key provisions of this bill is to codify the Bureau's
National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other Populations in
order to help reduce these undercounts.
Ms. Jackson Lee's amendment will enhance this objective by ensuring
there is a senior employee within the Census Bureau who is dedicated to
enhancing racial and ethnic equity in the decennial Census.
The Constitution requires an enumeration that is fair and complete,
one in which all people are counted so that all communities obtain the
representation and services that they deserve. This amendment will help
achieve that.
I also support the amendment offered by Representative Case, which
requires the Census Bureau to submit a report to Congress on the
agency's process for consulting and engaging with jurisdictions and
local partners in conducting the decennial Census.
We know that certain communities are traditionally harder to count,
including groups that are mistrustful of the government, students and
transient populations, minority communities, migrant communities, and
communities with unique geographic challenges.
Engaging with local stakeholders is essential to reaching these
communities and ensuring that the Census counts everyone in the United
States, regardless of where they live. This amendment will increase
transparency around the Bureau's process for engaging with
jurisdictions and local partners and ensure that Congress and the
American people can support the Census Bureau in this crucial effort.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chair, I rise to oppose the amendments en bloc.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the en bloc package of
amendments offered by Chairwoman Maloney.
Specifically, I am opposed to the amendments offered by
Representative Jackson Lee and Representative Case and will address
them each.
First, Ms. Jackson Lee's amendment requires the Deputy Director of
the Census to appoint a new employee within the Census Bureau whose
sole responsibility is to, ``optimize racial and ethnic equity in the
decennial Census population.''
The core mission of the Census Bureau, as it already stands, is to
conduct an accurate count of all people residing in the United States
on Census day when the decennial Census is being conducted.
This is the mission for every employee who works on the Census. This
new position is completely unnecessary and redundant of the Census
Bureau's preexisting mission to count everyone in the United States
regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Because this amendment appears to be an attempt to inject identity
politics into the Census Bureau's work, and because it would duplicate
efforts already underway at the Census Bureau, I must oppose.
{time} 1715
I turn to Representative Case's amendment, which requires the Census
Bureau to create and submit yet another report to Congress, but it
fails to require the Census Bureau to actually do anything substantive
to improve.
The Census Bureau already conducts extensive engagement campaigns
with local jurisdictions to ensure an accurate count of all people
during the decennial Census. This report would require the Census
Bureau to outline additional processes for engaging with local
jurisdictions.
The amendment would also require that the Census Bureau report to
Congress on progress in implementing open GAO recommendations, but it
does not outline any deadlines for implementing those open
recommendations.
Finally, the amendment contains an open-ended invitation for the
Census Bureau to ask for ``additional resources.'' This is Washington
speak to throw even more taxpayer money at the Census Bureau in the
near future.
I fear this amendment will merely waste precious Census Bureau time
and resources with an additional report with the sole purpose of
justifying future taxpayer expenditures.
Therefore, I must oppose both of these amendments.
Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc offered
by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendments en bloc offered by the gentleman from
Illinois will be postponed.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Hice of Georgia
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2
printed in part E of House Report 117-464.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Strike section 2(b) (relating to for-cause removal and
duties) and redesignate subsequent subsections accordingly.
Page 3, line 7, strike ``; Deputy Director''.
Page 3, beginning on line 9, strike ``as amended by
subsection (b), is further amended--'' and insert ``is
amended by adding at the end the following:''.
Page 3, strike line 11 and all that follows through page 4,
line 16.
Page 4, line 17, redesignate subsection (e) as subsection
(d).
Page 6, in the matter following line 13, strike ``Deputy
Director;''.
Strike section 2(d) (relating to position requirements).
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1339, the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Hice) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
With all due respect, this bill will do anything but ensure a fair
and accurate Census. Instead, it threatens to produce an unfair and
inaccurate Census.
As ranking member of the Government Operations Subcommittee, I have
stressed time and time again that we need reforms that will ensure a
more accountable Federal workforce. But time and time again, Democrats
show that they want anything but accountability for civil servants.
In fact, it is as though they view Federal employees as a protected
and privileged class, and when a Federal bureaucracy is unaccountable,
well, that is when it is most likely to threaten the American people
with rogue activity like, in this case, providing an unfair and
inaccurate Census.
First, it makes the Director of the Census unremovable except for
``inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.'' Then, it
commands that only the Director can make operational, statistical, and
technical decisions about the Census.
Mr. Chairman, what is the Secretary of Commerce supposed to do if he
or she believes that the Census Director is making decisions that will
lead to an unfair or inaccurate Census? Further, what is going to
happen if there is no Director in place? Under the terms of the bill,
only a career Census Bureau official can serve as the Acting Director.
This bill is a perfect example of how Democrats think unelected civil
servants should be running our government and, in essence, that civil
servants should be the ones who are governing the American people. This
bill literally is having them attempt to influence who represents them.
That is not the way our system is supposed to work.
My amendment would strip those provisions out of the legislation. If
we are to ensure a fair and accurate Census, then we must ensure an
accountable Census Bureau.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in
opposition to the Hice amendment.
[[Page H7840]]
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the amendment
proposed by Representative Hice of Georgia. His amendment would weaken
the protections in this bill that safeguard the Census Bureau from
partisan manipulation. His amendment eliminates two key provisions from
the bill.
First, the amendment would remove the provision requiring that the
Bureau have a single Deputy Director position, which would be filled by
a career official with relevant knowledge and experience, including
experience in collecting and analyzing data and a demonstrated ability
to manage large organizations. Experts agree that a single, qualified
Deputy Director is important for ensuring smooth operations within the
Bureau, including when there is an absence of a Senate-confirmed Census
Director. Having a single Deputy Director also avoids disruptions that
can be caused when multiple Deputy Directors are appointed with unclear
job descriptions.
That is exactly what happened in the last administration. In August
2020, while the Census count was already underway, former President
Trump appointed his third Deputy Director to the Census Bureau. The
unclear duties and qualifications of these appointees sparked an
internal inquiry by the Commerce Department's Inspector General's
Office.
The amendment would also remove the cap on political appointees at
the Census Bureau. The bill caps that number at four, which is
consistent with historical precedent. During the last administration,
there were an unprecedented eight political appointees at the Census
Bureau. That is far too many political appointees for a nonpartisan
agency like the Census Bureau, and it makes the danger of political
manipulation much greater.
I am committed to protecting the integrity of the Census Bureau and
improving each decennial count. Unfortunately, this amendment would
make these goals harder to achieve.
Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members to oppose Representative Hice's
amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Comer), who is the ranking member of the House Oversight
and Reform Committee.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for
yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment offered by the
Government Operations Subcommittee ranking member, my colleague, Jody
Hice.
I support this sensible amendment, which will preserve vital
accountability mechanisms for the Director of the Census Bureau. The
bill attempts to insulate the Census Bureau Director and empower an
unaccountable career Deputy Director. We should not be tying the hands
of a future President to properly exercise executive oversight over the
management of the Census Bureau.
Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support the commonsense
Hice amendment.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Hice).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Georgia will
be postponed.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I move that the
Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Ms.
Bourdeaux) having assumed the chair, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Acting
Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union,
reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill
(H.R. 8326) to amend title 13, United States Code, to improve the
operations of the Bureau of the Census, and for other purposes, had
come to no resolution thereon.
____________________