I just received this from Terriann regarding the current Census omnibus spending bill. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Census funding news Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 11:53:44 EST From: Terriann2K(a)aol.com To: Terriann2K(a)aol.com Hello, census stakeholders.I have good news to report with regard to funding for the American Community Survey (ACS) in fiscal year 2005, but also some cautions with regard to overall funding for the Census Bureau. In addition, Congress has addressed concerns about proposed changes in the race question. Please bear in mind that the $388 billion omnibus spending bill Congress is considering today was printed late yesterday and is not widely available yet, so we haven't seen all of the language. (Yes, Congress is voting on a massive spending bill that most Members have barely seen. It's a little scary!) I will send out any clarifications in funding levels as they become available in the coming days. Apparently, all non-defense federal programs will be subject to a 0.75 percent across-the-board cut, and I do not yet know specifically how that will affect the numbers cited below. The omnibus spending bill that includes funding for the Commerce Department (and most other non-defense/non-homeland security federal agencies) allocates $146 million ($146M) for the ACS, the amount provided in the House bill. That is $19M below the request of $165M, which means that group quarters (e.g. college dorms, military barracks, nursing homes, etc.) will not be included in the ACS in 2005. The bill also includes roughly $82M for the MAF/TIGER enhancements program (part of 2010 census funding), about $3M less than requested. Funding for Periodic Censuses and Programs is about $54M below the budget request of $608M. The Periodics account includes decennial census planning (2010 redesign, the ACS, and MAF/TIGER improvements), as well as demographic estimates (e.g. intercensal pop estimates, Demographic Analysis) and the Economic Census and Census of Governments, among other programs. So 2010 census redesign and/or other programs in this account will have to bear the brunt of the cut. Funding for the second main Bureau account, Salaries and Expenses, is reportedly $22M below the budget request of $220M. This account funds ongoing statistical programs and surveys that measure social, economic, and demographic characteristics. Finally, Congress included legislative language that essentially requires the Census Bureau to include a "Some Other Race" category in the race question. As many of you know, Census has been testing a revised race question that drops Some Other Race from the categories. I really think that the letters of support many of you sent to Congress in recent weeks, in support of ACS funding, made a difference. (A big thank you to David McMillen, House Government Committee minority staff, for coordinating receipt and delivery of those letters to key appropriators.) The letters let Congress know that a broad range of stakeholders were very interested in this program. I leave you with a final thought: We were successful in securing funding for the ACS this year, but the fight is not over and it is not smooth sailing from here. Given the tight federal budget situation, the Census Bureau made out reasonably well. It's overall funding level apparently is $130M over fiscal year 2004 (it had requested an increase of about $204M). But the federal budget will continue to get tighter for the forseeable future, and any whittling of ACS funding from year to year is likely to affect sample size and the reliability of small area and small population estimates. Remember that ACS funding barely survived a vote on the House floor last July, competing in an amendment with a popular program for community policing. If the House had cut ACS funding, there would have been nothing to negotiate in conference. The long term challenge for the Census Bureau, in light of ACS funding, is to contain the cost of a 2010 census that does not include a long form. I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving!Terri Ann Terri Ann Lowenthal Legislative & Policy Consultant Washington, DC 20024 ***************************