United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-12-28 monographic deposited born digital 66 p. GA 1.13:GAO-02-30 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30 P0b002ee18038298b f:d0230 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-05-04 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30 GAO-02-30 Population statistics Census Budget surplus Budget obligations Unexpended budget balances Reporting requirements Internal controls Financial statements Department of Commerce Administrative Management System 2000 Decennial Census Other Written Product A02624

The decennial census is the nation's most comprehensive and expensive data-gathering program. The Constitution requires a decennial census of the population in order to apportion seats in the House of Representatives. Public and private decisionmakers also use census data on population counts and social and economic characteristics for a variety of purposes. The 2000 decennial census covers a 13-year period of effort from fiscal years 1991 through 2003 at an estimated cost of $6.5 billion. On September 27, 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported to the Congress that it had at least $305 million of budget savings out of its $4.5 billion fiscal year 2000 no-year appropriations for the 2000 decennial census. Of the $4.5 billion appropriated to the U.S. Census Bureau for periodic censuses and programs in fiscal year 2000. lower expenditures and obligations than planned resulted in available balances of at least $415 million. The primary reason for the available balances was a lower support staff workload than planned. This resulted in about $348 million of lower salary and benefit costs for over 11,000 fewer support staff than planned. Enumerator workload is largely determined by the initial mail response rate for returned census questionnaires. The initial mail response of 64 percent resulted in over three million American households less than planned that did not require visits by census enumerators. However, the available balances from the higher mail response rate and the lower support staff workload were partially offset by about $100 million of higher salary and benefit costs for enumerators, including a higher workload for unanticipated recounts. According to bureau data, enumerator productivity did not have a significant impact on budget variances for the 2000 decennial census. The bureau reported the national average time to visit a household and complete a census questionnaire was about the one hour estimated. The bureau had significant internal control weaknesses for fiscal year 2000 that resulted in an inability to develop and report complete, accurate, and timely information for managing decision-making. This was due to specific internal control weaknesses as well as a weak overall internal control environment at the bureau. Specific control weaknesses for fiscal year 2000 were related to the lack of controls over financial reporting and financial management systems. Financial reporting issues included (1) the inability to produce accurate and timely financial statements and other financial management reports needed for oversight and day-to-day management, (2) the lack of timely and complete reconciliations needed to validate the balances of key accounts, and (3) unsupported and inaccurate reported balances for accounts payable and undelivered orders, two key accounts needed to manage and report on unliquidated obligations. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30.pdf GAO-02-30 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-30 Other Written Product GAO-02-30; 2000 Census: Analysis of Fiscal Year 2000 Budget and Internal Control Weaknesses at the U.S. Census Bureau; Population statistics Census Budget surplus Budget obligations Unexpended budget balances Reporting requirements Internal controls Financial statements Department of Commerce Administrative Management System 2000 Decennial Census Title 31 Section 3512 31 U.S.C. 3512 Volume 113 Page 1501 113 Stat. 1501 Public Law 106-113