Good
afternoon, census stakeholders.
A quick update on the status of Fiscal Year 2008
funding for the Census 
Bureau, and a call for IMMEDIATE help in
convincing House and Senate 
appropriators to provide adquate funds for Census
in the short-term 
Continuing Resolution before Congress this
week.  As you know, the 
fiscal year ends this weekend.  The House
will take up a CR as soon as 
Wednesday.
The CR would allocate funds at the FISCAL YEAR
2007 LEVEL through 
November 16 (at the earliest; another CR might be
necessary then).  
This outcome would spell disaster for key Census
programs.
The Census Bureau received $893 million in
FY07.  For FY08, the 
Administration requested $202.8 million for
Salaries &  Expenses, and 
$1,027.4 million for Periodic Censuses and
Programs.  The House bill 
provides $196.8 million for S&E and $1,025.4
million for Periodics.  
The Senate committee bill provides $226.2 million
for S&E and $1,020.4 
million for Periodics.  Overall, the
Administration requested a 37.7 
percent increase for the Census Bureau, in
recognition of final 
preparations for Census 2010 and the 2007 Economic
Census and Census of 
Governments, among other important activities.
Unofficial word from known sources (no one in the
Census Bureau is 
allowed to speak about this publicly) is that
proposed funding levels 
in the CR would endanger conduct of the 2008 Dress
Rehearsal 
(preparations are in full swing and the DR takes
place on a census 
schedule next March - summer) or use of handheld
computers for 
non-response follow-up in the census.  The
handhelds are being 
developed for deployment in the Dress
Rehearsal.  If they are not used 
then, it is very possible/likely they will not be
used in 2010.
Please make any immediate contacts you can with
staff/Members on House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees, or other
influential Members of 
Congress, in support of an exception to proposed
funding levels for the 
Census Bureau in the CR.  The Census Bureau
is on a major cyclical 
funding upswing ... it cannot continue to function
at last year's 
funding levels for a few months.  Keep in
mind that the 2007 Economic 
Census and Census of Governments are starting this
fall, with forms 
going out in December/January.  That cannot
be delayed either.
Please also share this message with others in your
census network.