Sean Patrick Maloney: “I am a big fan of the census, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are to be congratulated for fully funding…”

“I am a big fan of the census, and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are to be congratulated for fully funding the decennial census over the past 3 years. However, the competing pressures for funds in this bill have left other programs in the census underfunded, which I hope we can address as well as one item that was not even a part of the President's request, and that is to begin to develop methods for counting Americans overseas. The bill currently funds other nondecennial programs at the current year level, but $48 million less than the President's request. That flat funding is starting to take a toll on the ability of the Census Bureau to carry out its responsibilities. If this funding level persists, it is likely that current programs and new initiatives will have to be reduced. Among those programs are the American Community Survey, as well as improvements in the survey of income and program participation. These also do not include funding for planning to renovate or replace the World War II-era building that houses the Census Bureau, which is in very serious need of repair. I certainly understand the difficulties faced by the chairman in balancing competing pressures. However, I hope that the chairman will work with us to see that some of these shortfalls in the Census budget are restored as this bill goes to conference.”