[CTPP] Census 2000 News Alert

Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 From: Census 2000 Initiative BUDGET AGREEMENT: Census Receives Funding Increase; Congress Will Revisit Sampling Issue by June 15 Dual Track Preparations to Continue for Now The Census Bureau will receive $1.027 billion for 2000 preparations in the fiscal year that began on October 1, according to an agreement reached today between Congress and the Administration. But Congress will revisit the dispute over sampling methods by June 15, 1999 before funds can be spent after that date. Negotiators also agreed to stop the flow of funds to the entire budget account covering the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, and the judicial branch after June 15 unless a new measure granting spending authority is enacted. The Bureau's allocation is $75 million above the $952 million for census preparations approved by the House of Representatives last August. Of the additional $75 million, $40 million must be spent on preparations for a census that doesn't include sampling methods. Negotiators hope that the threat of shutting down law enforcement activities, foreign embassy operations, and other vital programs in the same bill will force sampling critics and the Administration to resolve the controversy over census methods. The Census Bureau will complete evaluations of this year's census dress rehearsal by next winter, and the Census Monitoring Board must issue reports by February 1 and April 1 of next year, as well. Congress and the Administration also hope that the Supreme Court will issue a ruling before the self-imposed June 15 deadline in two lawsuits challenging the use of sampling for purposes of congressional apportionment. However, Rep. Dan Miller (R-FL) said in a statement yesterday that a Supreme Court ruling that sampling is lawful "doesn't automatically" mean that sampling will be used in the 2000 census. Funding for the census will be included in an omnibus spending package covering numerous Federal departments and agencies. Congress is expected to pass the bill within the next few days before leaving town for the fall elections. Census director confirmation expected: The Senate is expected to confirm President Clinton's nominee for Census Bureau director, Dr. Kenneth Prewitt, before adjournment, according to Administration officials monitoring census issues. Dr. Prewitt would take over from James F. Holmes, the Bureau's Atlanta Regional Director who has served as acting head of the Bureau since Dr. Martha F. Riche stepped down last January. No Senators have expressed opposition publicly to the Prewitt nomination. Questions about the information contained in this News Alert may be directed to TerriAnn Lowenthal at (202) 484-2270 or, by e-mail at <terriann2k(a)aol.com>om>. Please direct all requests to receive News Alerts, and all changes in address/phone/fax/e-mail, to Census 2000 at <Census2000(a)ccmc.org> or 202/326-8700. Please feel free to circulate this information to colleagues and other interested individuals.