APDU Statement on Concerns Regarding the Census Field Operations Timeline

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A statement from the APDU Board of Directors.

The 2020 Census will determine Congressional representation, and the data will form the foundation for the next decade of federal statistics. These data will provide guidance to the federal government on where to provide needed resources, and information to local governments on who lives in their states, cities, and towns.

Federal statistics also provide guidance to businesses on where their products and services are needed by consumers. Decisions on the spending of billions of dollars—public and private—will be made based on the next decade of federal statistics.

The 2020 Census forms the backbone of the next decade of federal statistics. It’s too important to rush.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation the Census Bureau has never had to deal with before. The national self-response rate is just above 60%; two out of five people in this country have yet to be counted. This is significantly below expected benchmarks. Despite the ongoing pandemic, census workers are beginning the process of going door to door to count everyone who hasn’t yet responded. This large-scale effort was slated to begin months ago, but was delayed by the pandemic.

Because of these circumstances, it’s necessary to extend the deadline for the Census Bureau to deliver its results. Census experts strongly believe that the Census Bureau needs extra time to conduct a complete and accurate count, as the Constitution requires.

This is a non-partisan issue that threatens businesses and governments in every part of the country. The Association of Public Data Users calls on Congress to extend the deadline for the 2020 Census to a timeframe that allows for a complete and accurate count.