On March 13, by a vote of 54-46, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. This continuing resolution (CR) funds all federal agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, through September 30, 2025. The U.S. House of Representatives had passed the same measure two days earlier by a vote of 217 to 213. President Trump signed the bill into law on March 15, 2025.
Unlike past CRs that typically fund agencies at their previous year’s levels, this measure increases overall defense spending by $6 billion and cuts non-defense spending by $13 billion. It remains to be seen how these changes will impact specific agencies and programs.
The Census Bureau is not explicitly mentioned in the CR, which means the account toplines could continue at the same levels through the end of FY 2025. The bill requires the Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau’s parent agency, to submit an operating plan to Congress detailing how it will allocate its funding through September 30. As a result, funds could be moved within the Census Bureau’s accounts. It may not be possible to know what the final program levels are for the Bureau’s two accounts until the Department’s operating plan is finalized.
As a reminder, the Census Bureau accounts are the Current Surveys and Programs, which is funded in FY 2025 currently at $328,500,000, and the Periodic Censuses and Programs, which is funded in FY 2025 currently at $1,054,000,000.
The Census Project will share details once the agency’s operating plan is available.
