Comer Opens Hearing on Oversight of the U.S. Census Bureau

WASHINGTON – House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) delivered remarks today at a hearing on “Oversight of the U.S. Census Bureau.” Chairman Comer expressed concerns over the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey—which measures Census count accuracy—after it revealed that significant errors and flaws occurred in the 2020 Census. He stressed that these miscounts in the 2020 Census predominantly benefited Democratic-leaning states, and it is imperative that the Oversight Committee understands what went wrong to minimize the risk of similar errors occurring in the 2030 census. In addition, he highlighted the importance of advancing the Equal Representation Act, legislation that would add a straightforward citizenship question to the decennial census questionnaire. Chairman Comer concluded that American citizens’ federal representation should be determined by American citizens only and signing this commonsense legislation into law must be a priority.   

Below are Chairman Comer’s prepared remarks.

Welcome to today’s hearing on the U.S. Census Bureau with Director Robert Santos.

The Census Bureau conducts several surveys and statistical products, but none is more important than the decennial census of the U.S. population. 

Article One of the U.S. Constitution requires Congress to ensure a population census is taken every ten years to serve as the basis of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives and allocating electoral college votes.

It also informs how Congress allocates funds and how federal agencies achieve their missions for the American People. 

Today, we will examine the Census Bureau’s ongoing planning and preparation for the 2030 census.

While this event is still five years away, preparation for the 2030 census has already begun.

Counting more than 330 million people is a massive undertaking. 

It requires engagement with national, state, and local stakeholders to encourage full participation.

And it also requires the Census Bureau to leverage lessons learned from the 2020 census.

Unfortunately, the 2020 Census was flawed in ways not seen in prior censuses. 

The Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey—which measures Census count accuracy—revealed significant errors in 14 states. These errors predominantly benefited Democratic-leaning states in the allocation of congressional seats and electoral college votes. 

In contrast to the 2020 census, no states were found to have had such errors in the 2010 census. 

In 2020, the Post-Enumeration Survey suggests that there were overcounts in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Delaware, Minnesota, Utah, and Ohio. 

And there were undercounts in Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois. 

Six of the eight states benefiting from overcounts tended to favor Democrats in awarding congressional apportionment and electoral college votes.  

Meanwhile, five of the six states that were unfairly penalized by undercounts tended to vote for Republicans.  

These miscounts had an impact on representation. 

Small numbers of proportional differences in population between states can impact the apportionment calculation. 

In the 2020 apportionment, a difference of only 89 people was the tipping point for New York being apportioned 26 seats instead of 27. 

Just 89 people. 

Based on the 2020 Post-Enumeration Survey, it is likely that miscounts caused Colorado to gain a seat it would not have gained otherwise, and for Rhode Island and Minnesota to each keep a seat they would have lost.  

Meanwhile, Texas and Florida likely should have each gained a seat.

It is imperative that we understand what went wrong in the 2020 census and take action to mitigate the risk of those similar errors in the 2030 census.

Mitigating these risks is even more important, because there are major demographic changes happening across the country, as citizens of blue states flee from those high-tax, sanctuary jurisdictions for red states to enjoy lower taxes, a safer environment, and to exercise more freedom. 

Finally, the Equal Representation Act—passed out of this Committee and by the House earlier this year—is critical to ensuring fairness in our electoral process. 

This legislation adds a straightforward citizenship question to the decennial census questionnaire to ensure accurate information. 

It also ensures that only U.S. citizens are counted for apportionment of congressional seats and electoral college votes.

American citizens’ federal representation should be determined by American citizens only. 

We must get this bill passed by Congress and signed into law. 

I look forward to hearing from Director Santos today about the Census Bureau’s efforts to prepare for the 2030 Census and ensure its success and accuracy.

I now yield to the Ranking Member for his opening remarks.