December 18, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 205 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S7163]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 31--RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE AND 
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 2020 CENSUS AND ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, 
  AND HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2020 
             CENSUS TO ENSURE A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE COUNT

  Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Peters, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Ms. Collins, Ms. Hassan, Mrs. Murray, Ms. Harris, Ms. Cortez 
Masto, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Brown, Mr. Coons, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Braun, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Markey, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
Reed, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Rosen, Mr. King, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Bennet, Ms. Smith, Mr. Tester, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Blumenthal, 
Mr. Durbin, Mr. Jones, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Warner, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. 
Baldwin, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Manchin, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. 
Murphy) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
considered and agreed to:

                            S. Con. Res. 31

       Whereas the Constitution of the United States requires an 
     actual enumeration of the population every 10 years, with the 
     2020 count beginning in remote Alaska in January 2020 and 
     elsewhere in the United States in March 2020;
       Whereas the decennial census is a responsibility of the 
     Federal Government, mandated by section 2 of article I of the 
     Constitution of the United States;
       Whereas any individual who wants to help administer the 
     2020 Census should apply at 2020census.gov/jobs;
       Whereas the goal of the decennial census is to count every 
     person in the United States once, and only once, and in the 
     right place;
       Whereas the goal of the 2020 Census is to eliminate the 
     undercounting and overcounting of specific population groups, 
     problems that were apparent in previous censuses;
       Whereas the 2020 Census is quick, safe, and easy to 
     complete;
       Whereas, under section 2108(b) of title 44, United States 
     Code--
       (1) the confidentiality of all personally identifiable 
     information from the decennial census is protected from 
     public disclosure for 72 years;
       (2) the Bureau of the Census is prohibited from sharing any 
     personally identifiable information from the decennial census 
     with any other government agency, including law enforcement 
     and courts of law, or any private entity, for any purpose; 
     and
       (3) the information collected through the decennial census 
     is used for statistical purposes only;
       Whereas the decennial census is a cornerstone of the 
     representative democracy of the United States, as the data 
     collected through the decennial census--
       (1) is the basis for apportioning among the States seats in 
     the House of Representatives; and
       (2) is provided to the States for drawing congressional and 
     legislative district lines;
       Whereas complete and accurate census data will help ensure 
     that resources for education, health care, rural development, 
     workforce training, housing, transportation, and other 
     matters are allocated fairly and accurately;
       Whereas businesses use census data to guide investment in 
     job-creating initiatives, such as the building of new 
     production facilities, and in choosing where to locate new 
     retail and service outlets;
       Whereas, in 2020, responding to the census will be easier 
     than ever, as the census form will be available online for 
     the first time and households may choose to respond online, 
     over the phone, or through the mail; and
       Whereas a complete and accurate census requires the fullest 
     possible participation from all residents of the United 
     States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is the civic duty of the people of the United States 
     to help ensure that the 2020 Census is as accurate as 
     possible;
       (2) the Federal Government, State and local governments, 
     civil society, businesses, religious institutions, libraries, 
     and other national and local organizations should work 
     together as partners to inform the public that the 2020 
     Census is safe, easy, and important;
       (3) individuals who want to help administer the 2020 Census 
     should apply for a job at 2020census.gov/jobs; and
       (4) residents of the United States should plan to respond 
     to the 2020 Census to ensure that all people living in a 
     household in the United States, including young children, are 
     included.

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