Kendrick Meek: “Mr. Speaker, all Americans should have their eyes focused on us here tonight. We are here begging the American public to…”

“Mr. Speaker, all Americans should have their eyes focused on us here tonight. We are here begging the American public to return their census forms. I say begging, Mr. Speaker, because it is the most important thing that we will work on in 10 years' time. This is our opportunity to be counted. If we miss this opportunity, then we should not complain about the status of things in these good old United States. I want to thank all those people who have taken the time to return their forms and to say to them, Good for you. You have come forward to be counted. Those who did not, I want to say to you, continue to work on it, fill them out and return it. Do not let anyone discourage you from returning your census forms. Do not let anyone convince you that you need not fill out the forms completely. They are underestimating your intelligence when someone tells you, Fill out what you want to, it is not important, or it is invasive, or it is invading your privacy. Do not let anyone underestimate your intellectual ability and say that to you. The ball is in your court. Each one of you, one by one. One by one you must make a difference in your community, and you must make a difference in this Nation by setting us on a new path for the new century.”