Ted Poe: “The census counts the population every 10 years, but the Census Bureau also sends out a mandatory, intrusive personal…”

“The census counts the population every 10 years, but the Census Bureau also sends out a mandatory, intrusive personal and more time-consuming, 28-page document called the American Community Survey. The survey asks intrusive questions like how many toilets does a person have in their house; what time does a person leave and come home from work; does any person in the house have poor eyesight, difficulty dressing, or mental issues. If this Orwellian survey is ignored, the government may come after the citizen. First, the telephone calls start: weekly, then daily. Then Uncle Sam sends his peeping tomcrats to lurk around homes, forcing citizens to comply. If a person still refuses to hand over private information to the intrusive eyes of the government, the government may assess fines up to $5,000. My bill, H.R. 1305, makes the American Community Survey voluntary and also removes the associated criminal penalties. The ACS is a violation of privacy and a costly abuse of government power. And that is just the way it is. ____________________”