Increasing Census Bureau Funding is a Step in Right Direction

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on Congress’ increase in funding for the Census Bureau in the “omnibus” appropriations bill for 2018:

“For far too long, the Census Bureau has operated without sufficient resources, jeopardizing a successful 2020 census. With the final 2018 appropriations bill, Congress has now proposed to fund the Census Bureau at a level necessary to get 2020 Census preparations back on track.  This bipartisan effort should ensure more rigorous census planning and implementation — all necessary to address the growing threats to full participation in many communities.  But the work is not done and the clock is ticking. The Bureau cannot afford further delays in census planning or in addressing potential threats to a successful census, including: cybersecurity threats, the digital divide, the challenges of counting rural and remote communities, and the reluctance of some individuals to provide personal information to the government. There are no do-overs with the census. We must get it right the first time.  Today, Members of Congress are poised to put the Census Bureau in a much better position to do so.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.