Kendrick Meek: “there are some in this Congress who want to take time out and break the confidentiality of the census. This is really a…”

“there are some in this Congress who want to take time out and break the confidentiality of the census. This is really a terrible thing to do. We promised the people of this country when we were taking the surveys in the census that we would not break their confidentiality. We gave them a solid promise that we would not. Now there is an attempt to do it. I think everyone in this Congress should fight back this attempt to reveal confidential information. Remember, we have a trust with the American people and that is to tell them the truth. When we went out to get these surveys, we told them the truth. I, for one, would never turn back on what I told the people, that the things that they were revealing to the census operators and to the census takers would be held in strict confidentiality. Wake up, Congress. Speak the truth, so that the people of this country will respect us more than they do now. We need this respect, and the only way we can do it is to speak the truth. Mr. Speaker, it is time for every Member of this Congress to say ``no'' to revealing confidential information, and ``yes'' to truthfulness and honesty in government.”