The U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that it plans to cut short its data collection efforts in order to finish by September 30. Roughly 4 out of 10 households have yet to be counted. The activities that will be curtailed are crucial to collecting accurate data on populations who are less likely to turn in census forms on their own, such as immigrant and rural populations and people of color. Rushing at this stage threatens the accuracy of the census, which will determine political representation and funding for a decade. Back in April, the Bureau asked Congress to push its deadline back by four months to ensure completeness and accuracy of the census. The Senate COVID relief bill provides an opportunity for Congress to approve this extension. Ask your Senators to fight to include an extension for the Census in the Senate relief bill – and to commit to refusing to accept the census results if no such extension is achieved.
ACTION: Give The CENSUS AN Extension or Refuse the Results
Sen. Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441 or https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form
Sen. Patty Murray: 202-224-2621 or https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme
Script:
“Hi my name is [NAME] and I am calling/writing from [PLACE] because I am concerned about the accuracy of the 2020 Census. The U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that it plans to cut short its data collection efforts despite having requested a four-month deadline extension to achieve a complete and accurate census during this pandemic. The COVID relief bill gives us an opportunity to make sure that everyone is counted. Please fight to make sure that a deadline extension for the census is included in the Senate relief bill. If an extension can’t be achieved, will you commit to refuse the 2020 census results? The results will not be accurate and the repercussions of that inaccuracy would echo for a decade. Thank you.”
Background:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/opinion/trump-census-2020.html
