[CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

Subject: Census News Brief #5 From: Terriann2K(a)aol.com Fiscal Year 2003 Funding Finally In Place: ACS Test Sites and Supplementary Survey Will Continue; Legislators Emphasize Accurate Hispanic Subgroup Enumeration and Minority Hiring More than four months into the fiscal year, Congress last week passed a massive spending bill that appropriates funds for non-defense federal agencies through September 30. The House of Representatives approved the Fiscal Year 2003 Omnibus Appropriations bill (H.J.Res. 2) on February 13, by a vote of 338 – 83; the Senate cleared the measure, by a vote of 76 – 20, the same day. The omnibus bill includes $554.5 million in new budget authority for the Census Bureau, plus $41.8 million in unspent funds from last year, for a total approved operating level of $596.3 million. The Administration had requested $705.3 million for the Census Bureau in FY03. Periodic Censuses and Programs (“Periodics”) received $413.3 million (which includes the $41.8 million carry-over), $87 million below the Administration’s request. The carry-over will be applied to end-of-cycle Census 2000 activities, including release of Summary File 4 long form data and continued evaluation of census methods. The Periodics account covers decennial census activities, other mandated recurring programs such as the Economic Census, and support operations such as geographic databases and address list development. The bill allocates a total of $146.3 million for 2010 census planning, covering three major initiatives in the planning process: a “re-engineered” short form-only census; nationwide implementation of the American Community Survey (ACS) to replace the long form; and modernizing the Master Address File (MAF) and digital geographic database (TIGER). Appropriators funded the full request of $41.9 million to re-engineer the 2010 census design through early development and testing. The 2003 National Census Test, a survey of 250,000 households launched earlier this month, is evaluating multiple response options and revised questions on race and Hispanic/Latino origin. The American Community Survey received $57.1 million, roughly the same amount available in Fiscal Year 2002. The overall funding level will allow the Census Bureau to continue testing ACS methodology and operations in 31 sites and the Supplementary Survey, a national annual sample of 700,000 housing units. The Bureau had hoped to launch the ACS nationwide this year, at a cost of $124 million. Appropriators directed that $1 million of the ACS budget be used to evaluate how mandatory versus voluntary response would affect levels of response. The report accompanying the final version of the spending bill “acknowledge[s] that sufficient information is not available to weigh the benefits of a mandatory survey versus a voluntary survey.” The Census Bureau received $47.3 million to modernize the Master Address File (MAF) and TIGER geographic database, about $4 million less than the budget request. The Bureau has contracted with the private sector to improve the accuracy of street locations and addresses, and to update processing systems. In a report filed by the conference committee that negotiated the final bill, appropriators urged the Census Bureau to address difficulties in gathering accurate information on Hispanic subgroups in the census. In Census 2000, wording changes on the Hispanic/Latino origin question apparently caused confusion and led to underreporting of some large subgroups, including Dominicans and Salvadorans. Conferees also directed the agency to “move decisively to improve the representation of minorities in senior management at the Census Bureau and to improve the representation of minorities in all areas of research.” The conference report suggests the Presidential Management Intern program and Joint Program on Survey Methodology as two avenues to achieving these goals. The Census Bureau’s second main budget account, Salaries and Expenses, received $183 million for FY03, $42 million below the President’s request. This account funds ongoing demographic, economic, and social statistical programs, such as the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Appropriators directed the Bureau to “streamline and prioritize programs to ensure the highest priority core activities are supported” and to ensure full reimbursement from other federal agencies for surveys conducted on their behalf. Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, an independent consultant in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at 202/484-2270 or by e-mail at terriann2k(a)aol.com. Thank you to the Communications Consortium Media Center for posting the News Briefs on the Census 2000 Initiative web site, at www.census2000.org. Please feel free to circulate this information to colleagues and other interested individuals.