Press Call Briefing: 2020 Census At Risk as Funding and Operational Decisions Loom

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, March 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET, leading civil rights organizations and census experts will host a one-hour telephone press briefing to discuss critical policy decisions affecting the 2020 Census, including the need for Congress to provide sufficient funding this year and next for rigorous, on-time census planning and preparations.

The 2020 Census will be in full swing three years from now (“Census Day” is April 1, 2020), with a full dress rehearsal of census operations starting later this year. The essential work of preparing for the next decennial count is entering a critical period; decisions being made this year by Congress and the Trump administration will determine whether the Census Bureau has the resources it needs to do the job well. The U.S. Constitution requires a census every ten years, and Congress is responsible for making sure the enumeration is accurate in all communities.

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified the 2020 Census as a “high risk” federal program. The report highlights concerns about the Census Bureau’s “ability to conduct a cost-effective enumeration” in 2020, citing major innovations that could save money in the long run but require sufficient investment up-front to ensure feasibility, scale, and accuracy.

Census experts from diverse communities will discuss their concerns leading up to the 2020 census, and in particular, the significant consequences of Congress’ failure to allocate sufficient funds for the Census Bureau. (See recent op-ed: Penny Wise, PoundFoolish: 2020 Census Needs Funding Now.)

RSVP requested to [email protected]

WHEN: Thursday, March 30, at 1:00 p.m. EST

WHO:

·          Wade Henderson, president and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

·          Arturo Vargas, executive director, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund

·          John C. Yang, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC

·          Terri Ann Lowenthal, former Staff Director, House Census and Population Subcommittee, and consultant to The Education Fund

DIAL-IN INFORMATION:

Dial-in: 888.632.3384

Conference ID: CENSUS