[CTPP] Bills in congress proposing to make ACS voluntary.

Hi all, It is worth noting that efforts to make the ACS voluntary are again proposed in the House and Senate. Each bill seeks to make participation voluntary except for name, contact information, date and number of people living in household, each proposes to eliminate the fines, and oddly, each proposes that no one be compelled to reveal religion, but that is already in Title 13. The current status of each bill is as follows: The Senate bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the House bill was Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Currently H.R 1078 and the identically worded S. 530 (text below) call for: H. R. 1078 To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 12, 2013 Mr. POE of Texas (for himself, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. JONES, Mr. HUELSKAMP, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. HALL, Mrs. ELLMERS, Mr. LATTA, and Mr. LUETKEMEYER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ________________________________ A BILL To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY. (a) Optional Questions- Section 193 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: `The Secretary shall include, in the instructions for completing any survey authorized under this section, a statement indicating that answering any question other than questions that solicit the information described in section 221(c)(2)(A) is optional.'. (b) Refusal To Participate- Section 221 of title 13, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), by striking `Whoever, being over eighteen years of age,' and inserting `Except as provided in subsection (c), any person older than 18 years of age who'; and (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: `(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision under this title-- `(A) no person may be compelled to disclose information relative to the person's religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body; and `(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), no person may be fined or otherwise compelled to answer questions in connection with the survey, conducted by the Secretary of Commerce, which is commonly referred to as the `American Community Survey'. `(2) Paragraph (1)(B)-- `(A) shall not apply to any question that elicits-- `(i) the name of the respondent; `(ii) contact information for the respondent; `(iii) the date of the response; or `(iv) the number of people living or staying at the same address; and `(B) does not waive any penalty imposed for conduct described in subsection (b).'. 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 530 To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 12, 2013 Mr. PAUL (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. VITTER, and Mr. JOHANNS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ________________________________ A BILL To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY. (a) Optional Questions- Section 193 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: `The Secretary shall include, in the instructions for completing any survey authorized under this section, a statement indicating that answering any question other than questions that solicit the information described in section 221(c)(2)(A) is optional.'. (b) Refusal To Participate- Section 221 of title 13, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), by striking `Whoever, being over eighteen years of age,' and inserting `Except as provided in subsection (c), any person older than 18 years of age who'; and (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: `(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision under this title-- `(A) no person may be compelled to disclose information relative to the person's religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body; and `(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), no person may be fined or otherwise compelled to answer questions in connection with the survey, conducted by the Secretary of Commerce, which is commonly referred to as the `American Community Survey'. `(2) Paragraph (1)(B)-- `(A) shall not apply to any question that elicits-- `(i) the name of the respondent; `(ii) contact information for the respondent; `(iii) the date of the response; or `(iv) the number of people living or staying at the same address; and `(B) does not waive any penalty imposed for conduct described in subsection (b).'. Penelope Z. Weinberger CTPP Program Manager AASHTO 202-624-3556 ctpp.transportation.org