Sean Patrick Maloney: “later today, some of our colleagues plan to offer amendments to this bill that would divert money from the 2010 Census.…”

“later today, some of our colleagues plan to offer amendments to this bill that would divert money from the 2010 Census. Many of them have good intentions and would send the money to other worthwhile programs. However, I would like to strongly urge those colleagues to consider the damage that would be done--not just to this Nation, but perhaps even to the very district they represent--should the Census be depleted. It a program with an enormous impact and should never be carved up and handed out like a Thanksgiving turkey. Five years from now, if Members begin complaining about problems with Census and the count in their States, we will only have ourselves to blame. If members want to take money from Census, perhaps they should volunteer their States for inaccurate counts. Just because the actual survey takes place in 2010 doesn't mean that cutting the Census in 2006 is irrelevant. Initial planning is ongoing and the Census Bureau is gearing up for the largest peace-time mobilization in American history. The Census doesn't just appear in an instant and then disappear every ten years, it is a constant, massive effort that never stops. Some might try to divert money from the Census to other programs in this bill in the name of law enforcement. But they should keep in mind that the Census is a critical tool for fighting crime.…”