Reaching Hard-to-Count Communities in the 2020 Census
Date:
Thursday, January 9, 2020 - 10:00am
Location:
2154 Select one, Washington, DC 20515
“Reaching Hard-to-Count Communities in the 2020 Census”
CHAIRWOMAN MALONEY'S OPENING STATEMENT
PURPOSE
The hearing will examine the Census Bureau’s strategies and plans for reaching hard-to-count communities in the 2020 Census.
BACKGROUND
- The Constitution requires that the Census count every person in the United States. The results of the 2020 Census will determine the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives and the allocation of approximately $1.5 trillion in federal funding. Some populations, including immigrants, communities of color, children, and people experiencing homelessness, have traditionally been more difficult to count, leading to an undercount on previous censuses.
- The 2020 Census is imminent, with counting set to begin in Alaska on January 21, 2020, and in the rest of the country on April 1, 2020. The Census Bureau must be fully prepared to count all communities in order to ensure the Census results are accurate, fair, and complete.
- The Committee is very concerned that minority and immigrant communities, as well as rural communities with limited Internet access, are at serious risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Census, jeopardizing their accurate representation in Congress and access to federal funds.
- One major cause for concern is that the Census Bureau has fallen behind its own targets for hiring census workers to reach hard-to-count communities and for hiring partnership specialists who serve as critical liaisons with these communities.
- The Census Bureau must work closely with local communities to ensure an accurate count, including by addressing fears caused by the Trump Administration’s immigration policies and the failed attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.
WITNESSES
Mr. Kevin Allis
Chief Executive Officer
National Congress of American Indians
Ms. Vanita Gupta
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Mr. Darrell Moore
Executive Director, Center for South Georgia Regional Impact
Valdosta State University
Mr. Marc Morial
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Urban League
Mr. Arturo Vargas
CEO
NALEO Educational Fund
Mr. John Yang
President and Executive Director
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
DOCUMENTS
- NOTICE
- Memo
- Attendance
- UC - Rep. Connolly - Letter from Mr. Dillingham on the practice of hiring people
- UC- Rep Connolly - Letter to Mr. Dillingham from Rep Connolly
- UC - Rep Hice - Mr. Moore's PP presentation
- UC - Rep Raskin - 2018 Census Bureau Report
- UC - Rep Cloud - The Hill article comparing Administrations on deportation issue
- UC - Rep Porter - Supreme Court Case
- Transcript
HEARING RECAP
Issues:
116th Congress