In census, leave no one behind

By Rep. Mike Honda & Rep. Barbara Lee & Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez  |  Politico  |  Link to article
February 12, 2009

When Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) was announced as the commerce secretary-designate, we, leaders of the congressional minority caucuses, collectively known as the Congressional Tri-Caucus, were very concerned about the 2010 decennial census.

As the 2010 count nears, we are supportive and appreciative of President Barack Obama’s decision to bypass the commerce secretary on matters of the Census Bureau. Sen. Gregg’s history of obstructing funding to the bureau raises serious concerns about his commitment to and understanding of the bureau’s important work. The decennial count of every person living in the United States is mandated by our Constitution. With this mandate, we must do everything we can to ensure that every person is counted.

The White House is wholly justified in providing oversight over the Census Bureau at this critical hour. Shortly after President Obama’s election, the Government Accountability Office listed the 2010 decennial census among the top 13 “urgent issues” identified as those needing immediate attention from the new administration and named the 2010 count as a “high-risk” area for 2009.

President Obama’s decision is particularly judicious, as the Bush administration’s 2010 census preparations have left much to be desired. Unsubstantiated cost estimates, mismanaged technology contracts, a partial dress rehearsal (as opposed to a full dress rehearsal), and underfunded communications and outreach plans to minority communities are among the long list of problems inherited by Obama’s team from the Bush administration.

Given the urgency of the looming 2010 census, President Obama’s decision to work directly with the Census Bureau director at this time is fully warranted.

Counting minorities

Ensuring an accurate count is particularly challenging in minority communities. Racial and ethnic minorities, including those in highly dense urban populations and those who are linguistically and culturally isolated, have historically presented unique challenges to the Census Bureau; many are distrustful of government and reluctant to participate in a government count.

As chairs of the Congressional Tri-Caucus — a coalition of the Congressional Asian Pacific American, Black and Hispanic caucuses — we are committed to assisting the administration in its efforts to count all of our constituents and ensure an accurate census of traditionally undercounted populations.

The Congressional Tri-Caucus boasts more than 80 members in the 111th Congress, who represent the most diverse congressional districts in the country, including our own districts in Silicon Valley, New York City and Oakland. We are working closely with the Census Bureau to provide each of our members the tools needed for outreach to our constituencies across the country.

Social services at stake

There is much at stake in an accurate census. The decennial census provides data that determine the distribution of approximately $300 billion in federal funding each year, including funding for Medicaid, adoption assistance, substance abuse prevention and treatment, child and foster care, rehabilitation services, and vocational education.

States and localities use census data to plan public service projects including resources for hospitals, employment assistance, schools, highways, and police and fire departments. If our federal, state and local dollars are to be targeted appropriately to those communities that need them most, it is crucial that we do everything we can to have an accurate count in 2010.

Finally, policymakers throughout our nation, certainly members of Congress, use these data daily to make well-informed decisions affecting bread-and-butter issues in our communities.

Obama’s commitment to successful census evident in stimulus legislation

On behalf of our caucuses, we praise the $1 billion included in the second piece of economic stimulus legislation, and we are pleased with the administration’s support of this funding.

This funding will not only create additional temporary jobs, on top of the 1.4 million hires already expected across the country; it will also go a long way toward ensuring that all communities are counted. Funding will be used to increase the number of partnership specialists hired to conduct critical outreach to hard-to-count communities, increase the number of census enumerators, ensure their proper training to work effectively within all of our diverse communities, and provide adequate funding for advertising, marketing, promotions and partnership efforts.

This funding will instantly go toward job creation across the country in the next two years and will be crucial to ensuring an accurate count.

President Obama’s decisions to work closely with the Census Bureau’s director and to support $1 billion of census funding in the stimulus package clearly demonstrate his appreciation for an accurate count, particularly in traditionally undercounted communities.

Everyone must be counted, and we applaud President Obama’s determination to make sure that no one is left behind.

Reps. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Nydia M. Velazquez (D-N.Y.) are the chairman and chairwomen, respectively, of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus.