• The United States Census Bureau is responsible for conducting the nationwide Census, which is done every ten years. The information collected and compiled by the Census Bureau helps determine which communities will receive federal funding for public works and other projects and in what amounts. The population data is also used to determine whether Congressional districts need to be adjusted to ensure evenly-distributed representation in the House.

  
  

• Fast Facts

  1. The Bureau conducts a Census once every ten years in accordance with the U.S. Constitution
  2. Falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Commerce
  3. Operates under Title 13 of the United States CodeCensus.gov: About
  4. Became an official bureau in 1902Census.gov: History: Census Bureau Facilities
  5. Headquarters are located in Suitland, Maryland
  6. National Processing Center is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana
  7. Acting Director: Thomas L. Mesenbourg (as of early 2009)
  8. Censuses are conducted on years that end in zero
  9. The first Census was conducted in 1790Census.gov: About
  10. The 2010 Census will marks the first time that the long-form sample questionnaire will not be usedCensus.gov: History: Data Collection
  11. Between official Censuses, the agency uses previous Census information to make population and demographical projections

• Congressional 11th Hour Battles Continue On 2010 Census

  Skirmishes continue in Congress over the 2010 Census, even as the April 1 census date draws near. In early October, Republican Sens. David Vitter (Louisiana) and Robert Bennett (Utah) put forward an amendment that would require the Census forms to ask people (for the first time) whether they were in the country legally or illegally. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-10-13-census_N.htm Following an uproar from the Census Bureau and many Democrats and supporting groups http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/10/19/daily11.html?ed=2009-10-19&ana=e_du_pub, the Republicans withdrew that proposal. Instead, Vitter is trying to exclude non-citizens from the count for purposes of reapportionment, a proposal Republicans have raised before past censuses. http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2009/10/republican-senator-presses-plan-to-exclude-noncitizens-from-the-census.html According to The Census Project, a consortium of census stakeholders, the Justice Department has consistently (in Republican and Democratic Administrations) found that the United States Constitution requires that all inhabitants be counted regardless of their immigration status. http://www.thecensusproject.org/newsbriefs/cnb79-18oct2009.html

• Census Worker Hanged

  In what could be a brutal reminder of how nasty anti-government sentiment is running, a 51-year old man who had been doing field work for the U.S. Census Bureau since 2003 was hanged. Authorities have confirmed that the word "Fed" was written on the victim's chest. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/09/feds_probe_us_census_worker_hanging_in_kentucky.php?ref=fpb

  UPDATE (9/29/09): The person who found the body of the census worker says it was definitely not suicide. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090926/ap_on_re_us/us_census_worker_hanged

  UPDATE (10/6/09): Mr. Sparkman's body was released by investigators yesterday, to be cremated. However, no further details about the investigation have been released. http://blog.taragana.com/n/hanged-ky-census-workers-body-released-police-still-not-saying-if-death-was-homicide-188448/October 6, 2009

  UPDATE (10/30/09): The State Police say they are making progress in the investigation and that they anticipate a some resolution "in a matter of weeks not months." Officials are confirming that Mr. Sparkman died of asphyxiation and died at the tree where he was found. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jbzG_BlkG2Hfc818EPRRn1bBlP6gD9BKDIAG0October 29, 2009

  UPDATE (11/6/09): The Associated Press is reporting that anonymous law enforcement officials have stated that investigators "increasingly doubt" that Sparkman was hanged because he was a U.S. Census Bureau worker, and are pursuing the possibility that he committed suicide. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/11/ap_sources_suicide_eyed_in_ky_census_worker_case_1.php November 6, 2009 What the article seems to gloss over (in favor of the two more interesting theories) is the possibility that it was a homicide for reasons unrelated to his Census job; a state police Captain (on the record) did deny that there is a new focus in the investigation - but the article quickly returns to the anti-government hanging and the suicide possibilities. Census Worker Hanged

• 2009 Bill To Establish Census Bureau As Independent Agency

  In March 2009, DC lawmakers introduced a bill that would make the Census Department its own independent agency in 2012. Republicans were concerned that the Obama Administration would take advantage of the Bureau being part of the executive branch. As of October 2009, the bill (HR1254) is in committee. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:3:./temp/~bdlNPe::|/bss/111search.html|

• Census In The News As Obama Forming Cabinet - Judd Gregg

  In early February of 2009, President Barack Obama nominated New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) as commerce secretary, meaning that the Census Bureau would fall under his direction. This appointment caused concern among some Democrats, as Gregg had previously attempted to reduce funding to the Census Bureau. Leaders of minority groups also expressed concern that under Gregg's direction, the 2010 Census may not accurately count minorities and the disadvantaged.

  In response to these concerns, President Obama stated that The White House would take a more active role in directing the Census. This, in turn, caused concern among some Republicans that the Census would become politicized and its impartiality could be compromised. On February 12, 2009 Gregg announced that he was withdrawing his name from consideration for the position of commerce secretary, citing "irresolvable conflicts...on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census."Politico: In census, leave no one behind (February 12, 2009) CNN: Redrawing the lines - almost 200 years of gerrymandering (February 12, 2009) Breitbart: GOP leaders criticize White House role in census (February 12, 2009) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/politics/13gregg.html(February 12, 2009)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  U.S. House of Representatives | U.S. Department of Commerce | Constitution of the United States of America | Judd Gregg | Barack Obama | 2010 Census | Census Worker Hanged

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