Letter to Dr. Steven Dillingham, Dir. of the United States Census Bureau - 100 Members of Congress, Led by Congressman David Trone, Seek Answers on Census Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

Letter

Dear Dr. Dillingham:

The COVID-19 outbreak has shaken our country and the global community, and we all must prepare for further impacts. As COVID-19 continues to spread, governments and health professionals across the world are shifting their resources and attention to treating and containing this destructive virus. We write today to share our concern regarding the global pandemic's impact on the 2020 Census and ask for the Bureau's plan to ensure an accurate count during this unprecedented health emergency.

Since its creation in 1790, the United States census has played a vital role in helping us assess our changing population. Every 10 years, census data dictates the number of representatives each state receives in the House of Representatives and helps the federal government allocate more than $675 billion in federal funding. This funding also assists local communities in building their infrastructure, creating new jobs, and establishing valuable programs. Without a thorough and accurate census, the government will not be able to evaluate and address the needs of these local communities.

In order to assess how the U.S. Census Bureau plans to proceed with conducting an efficient and effective census in the wake of this pandemic, we ask that you please answer the following questions:

1. What plans are in place to ensure the quality and accuracy of the 2020 Census in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak?

2.The social distancing recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will necessarily make it more difficult to count individuals impacted by homelessness and other hard-to-count populations. Does the Census Bureau have the resources necessary to increase the percentage of Americans who self-report without interaction from an enumerator?

3. Does the Census Bureau anticipate extending the enumeration period to accommodate setbacks caused by the COVID-19 outbreak? What would that mean practically for the count?

We appreciate your personal attention to these questions, and we look forward to receiving your response.