Rep. Carolyn Maloney
Carolyn Bosher MaloneyFive things we learned from this year's primaries Oversight Democrats press for probe into possible Hatch Act violations Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works MORE (D-N.Y.) is calling for lawmakers to markup legislation she’s offered to stop the Department of Commerce from adding a last minute question about citizenship to the 2020 Census.
In a letter to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chair Trey Gowdy
Harold (Trey) Watson GowdyTim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington Senate GOP set to ramp up Obama-era probes MORE (R-S.C.), Maloney said her bill — the 2020 Census Improving Accuracy and Enhanced Data Act — would help mitigate concerns about the Trump administration’s commitment to fulfill its constitutional mandate and conduct a fair, equitable and complete count of the nation.
Administration officials have argued that citizenship data is needed to help DOJ better enforce the Voting Rights Act, but Democrats say it will likely discourage immigrants from filling out the questionnaire.
The outcome could have major political ramifications since the data is used to redraw House districts and determine how many seats each state receives.
The administration’s decision comes about a week before the final census questions due to be submitted to Congress.
Maloney called the administration’s timing greatly concerning.
“All census questions undergo an extensive screening process constituting years of focus groups and field tests to ensure a high response rate coupled with effective data collection,” she said in her letter to Gowdy.
“Final census questions for the 2020 Decennial are due to be submitted to Congress by April 1, 2018, leaving insufficient time for testing and evaluation.”
Maloney’s bill would strengthen congressional oversight, require every census to be adequately researched, tested and studied before census day and prohibit last minute changes without proper research.