On June 25, the Department of Commerce released the long-awaited details of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request. The details, known as the Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ), outline the Administration’s priorities for the Census Bureau in FY 2026.
As reported in a recent Census Project update, the request, $1.6765 billion, is an increase over the agency’s enacted FY 2025 funding level, but falls short of the $2 billion that census stakeholders recommended. It affirms topline numbers that the Administration released in May regarding the Bureau’s two major accounts: $1.388 billion for Periodic Censuses and Programs and $288.5 million for Current Surveys and Programs. In addition, the CBJ addresses, as well as overlooks, several census stakeholder priorities, and in other cases, fails to provide thorough details about major administrative restructuring and data modernization proposals. These changes include a proposed reorganization that would bring the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Bureau of Economic Analysis under the Department of Commerce and major changes to the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).
Decennial Census and American Community Survey
The CBJ confirms a proposed increase of $383.4 million or 63.8 percent in funding for the 2030 Census, for a total of $982.9 million for development and testing. Further, the narrative recognizes FY 2026 as a “critical year for the 2030 Census Program,” emphasizing the role of the 2026 Census Test. The test is identified as an opportunity to “test key IT systems and infrastructure, integration of collection and processing systems, introduce field modernization efforts, and other activities.” Further, in preparation for the 2030 Census, the narrative states that the request “supports award and management of critical major contracts for application development, field devices and IT equipment, the communications campaign, recruiting and hiring platforms, and call centers for telephone assistance.”
Although the narrative does not specify a funding line for the American Community Survey (ACS) in FY 2026, it acknowledges the survey as part of the decennial program and praises it as “the premier source of social, demographic, economic, and housing information for the Nation, states, counties, cities, and towns.” It states that the amount “will also enable the Census Bureau to continue data collection and publication for the American Community Survey, including the Puerto Rico Community Survey and the group quarters sample, while reducing respondent burden compared to prior years.” According to the CBJ, the request will support ACS content enhancements, including ongoing efforts to pursue alternative data sources and modernize operations to improve data quality and reduce costs.
Not all programs within the Periodic Census and Programs are slated to be increased. For example, the Geographic Support Program , which provides “support services such as updating addresses, features, boundaries, imagery, and geographic entities in support of the 2030 Census,” is reduced by over $13 million in FY 2026.
Survey of Income and Program Participation
In contrast to increases for the decennial census activities within the Periodic Censuses and Program, the CBJ proposes reducing funding for the Current Surveys and Programs account by approximately $40 million or 12.3% in FY 2026. This cut primarily targets the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), which the CBJ singles out for major changes. In FY 2026, SIPP is “transitioning to a more effective approach that merges modern survey techniques with advanced data science methods.” This new strategy will make it possible “to focus on a smaller, more targeted sample while utilizing non survey data to lower costs, lessen the burden on respondents, and enhance both the timeliness and accuracy of statistical outputs.” While SIPP is recognized for having “played an important role in shedding light on the economic well-being of Americans,” its data collection is also criticized for having been “expensive and challenging for respondents.” The CBJ does not outline SIPP’s potential transition nor clarify if the program will continue under its current name.
Administrative Reorganization
The request stipulates that by the end of Fiscal Year 2026 the Bureau will have eliminated functions that are “not statutorily mandated or core to the Bureau’s mission” and consolidated “duplicative” areas and management layers. No further details about these actions are outlined. In addition, the FY 2026 request “supports the President’s Budget proposal to reorganize the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Census Bureau at the Department of Commerce” without providing additional information about the timeline or process for enacting this major reorganization.
Next Steps
Congress will consider the President’s budget request as it crafts the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The House CJS Subcommittee is scheduled to consider or “mark up” its version of the bill on July 7, with the full House Appropriations Committee taking up the bill on July 10. Once the Committee approves the bill, it will be scheduled for floor action by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not announced its FY 2026 mark up schedule yet.
