Rep. Don Young (R-AK) recently told Census Director Dillingham that �Alaska communities and census workers deserve the time needed to produce a complete count.�
“The plan you announced last April acknowledged the devastating impact” of the pandemic, he wrote on August 27, 2020, but “the time lost and other disruptions caused by this delay mean that Census workers will not be able to finish a complete and accurate count by the end of September.” On top of the pandemic-related problems, �Alaska currently has the lowest Census self-response rate in the nation.�
A rushed count would leave Alaska with “the largest inaccuracy in counting of any state and that will be reflected by a loss of federal funding for services like schools, infrastructure improvements, economic development, Medicaid and countless other vital programs.”
Recognizing that Census Bureau staff “have stated that they need additional time,” Congressman Young urged the Bureau to “extend the deadline to end field operations so there is adequate time to complete the Non-Response Follow Up phase of the Census.”
The Congressman�s letter echoes the support from a recent bipartisan Senate letter, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the U.S. business community, and nearly 900 stakeholder groups.
Read Rep. Young�s letter.
