JOHN LINDER: “I find it curious how many times the Constitution seems to get in the way of this administration. It did so in Kyoto…”

“I find it curious how many times the Constitution seems to get in the way of this administration. It did so in Kyoto, when rather than get a treaty agreed to by the Senate, they are trying to put it in effect by regulation. They did it with the INS during the last election. Now the Constitution is in the way again because they want a poll to find out who lives in America, count 90 percent of them and poll the rest. And guess who they are? Polling is what statistical sampling is. I know my colleagues do not want to use that word because the President sent a memo saying do not use that word. They tested it and it does not test very well. But statistical sampling is polling. I oppose the Mollohan amendment. I support the carefully crafted bill of the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers). The chairman has succeeded in crafting an effective plan to ensure that the administration and the Congress jointly decide how to conduct the 2000 Census. Unfortunately, the Mollohan amendment undermines their plan in favor of an untested, unproven population polling scheme.”