Stakeholders Urge OMB to Prioritize Census Funding in FY 2024 Budget

Leaders of The Census Project, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NALEO Educational Fund, and Ready Nation called upon the Biden Administration to “prioritize funding for the U.S. Census Bureau and 2030 Census in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget submission.”

On behalf of the broad range of census stakeholders, the groups explained to the Office of Management and Budget on January 11, 2023 that:

“Census stakeholders are disappointed by the outcome of the FY 2023 appropriations process, which resulted in the Census Bureau receiving $20.5 million less than the Administration requested. We are especially concerned that this shortfall is a setback for the 2030 Census funding trajectory. Funding for the 2030 Census must begin “ramping up” early in the decade to support critical testing and operations geared toward achieving an inclusive, accurate, and cost-effective decennial census. Given we are a third of the way into the 2030 Census planning cycle, there is an urgent need for the Administration to ensure the Bureau has increased resources and support in FY 2024.”

Their letter concluded that:

“The new, more fiscally conservative environment in Congress has the potential to complicate FY 2024 appropriations deliberations. It is possible that the President’s budget request will represent the high-water mark of the debate. To improve the Bureau’s chances of receiving a strong final funding level in FY 2024, the President should communicate clearly that the Census Bureau and 2030 Census preparations are major Administration priorities.”

• Letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young. January 11, 2023. https://censusproject.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/sign-on-letter-to-omb-re-fy-24-census-funding-1-23-final.pdf