Monthly Updates

May 2024 Census Project Update

06/03/2024

Appropriations Update

Activity regarding the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations process advanced rapidly during the month of May�especially in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the House, the new Chairman of the House Appropriations Process, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK-4) announced an ambitious schedule to move all 12 appropriations bills through the House Appropriations Committee before Congress breaks for its annual August district work period. Under his proposed plan, the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Census Bureau, would �mark up� its FY 2025 bill on June 12, with the full House Appropriations Committee considering the bill on July 9. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson wants to bring all 12 funding bills to the House floor as soon as they pass the House Appropriations Committee with a goal of passing all funding measures before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2024. Leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee have not unveiled plans yet for moving their versions of the FY 2025 appropriations bills.

In related FY 2025 appropriations news, The Census Project was pleased to report that, once again, Members of Congress expressed strong support for funding the Census Bureau as part of the annual appropriations process. In the House of Representatives, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA-28) circulated a FY 2025 Dear Colleague letter, urging the House Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee to prioritize funding for the U.S. Census Bureau. 51 bipartisan members of the U.S. House signed the letter. In the Senate, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Tina Smith (D-MN) circulated a similar letter that attracted the support of 24 Democratic Senators. The Census Project issued a blog to explain the significance of these letters and how they will, potentially, influence Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations deliberations.

Policy Update

The Census Project Releases �Call to Action� Regarding American Community Survey
On May 2, The Census Project released a detailed action plan for Congress and the Census Bureau to collaborate on improving the American Community Survey (ACS). Specifically, the plan recommends ACS enhancements that include 1) developing new ACS data products to address more complex public policy challenges; 2) fully integrating the ACS in the Bureau�s enterprise transformation efforts; 3) accelerating research to advance the use of administrative records and alternative data sources in the ACS to improve data quality and reduce respondent burden; 4) enhancing ACS nonresponse follow up operations to get higher response rates and address inequitable data quality; 5) increasing the annual survey sample size to better serve rural, remote and underserved areas of the country; 6) revising content to improve data quality even beyond the new race & ethnicity and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) questions; and 7) increasing funding by Congress to the ACS program overall.

The Census Project released a blog in conjunction with the release of its revised plan.

U.S. House of Representatives Passes Equal Representation Act
On May 8, on a party line vote of 206-202, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill, H.R. 7109, the Equal Representation Act. The bill would add a citizenship question to the decennial census and exclude noncitizens from the number of persons used to determine congressional apportionment. The bill has been sent to the U.S. Senate for that chamber�s consideration. On May 16, Senator Hagerty (R-TN) asked for unanimous consent to bring the bill to the Senate floor�a proposal that was blocked by Senate Democrats.

Prior to House debate on the bill, hundreds of organizations signed letters urging Members of Congress to oppose final passage of the legislation. The letters are posted here:

Census Stakeholders Sound Off in Census Project Standard Deviation Blog Posts
Throughout the month of May, census stakeholders were inspired to share their views via The Census Project�s Standard Deviations blog post. These posts addressed attempts by Congress to alter the Apportionment process and recommendations regarding 2030 Census data products.

Texas Census Institute Issues Report on 2020 Census Undercount
According to a report from the Texas Census Institute, �U.S. Census Bureau estimates suggest the 2020 Census undercounted 547,968 Texans.� Learn more in a May 16 blog issued by The Census Project.

Lawsuit Against 2020 Census Gets Appeals Court Hearing
On April 11, 2024, oral arguments were heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for an appeal in the case of Citizens for Const. Integrity v. Census Bureau. More information is posted in a May 13 Census Project blog.

Asian American Advancing Justice/AAJC Address Implementation of Revised Data Standards
On May 23, the Vice President of Census and Voting Programs and Director of Research at the Asian American Advancing Justice/AAJC published a blog regarding implementation of the revised Federal race and ethnicity data standards. The blog urges the public to �engage with OMB [Office of Management and Budget] and other federal agencies tasked with implementing these new standards, making their voices heard so that they are fully and accurately represented � statistically and, by extension, politically.�

Minnesota Enacts Legislation Regarding Prison Gerrymandering
On May 17, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a measure into law officially ending prison gerrymandering in the state. This move adds Minnesota to the list of states that have rejected the Census Bureau�s current methodology for counting incarcerated people. The Prison Policy Initiative issued a blog regarding this development and other related news.

Census Bureau News

On May 30, the U.S. Census Bureau announced it was planning to hold a webinar on June 13, 2024, to share updates and lay the groundwork for improvements to the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey (CPS). This is the second in a series of webinars on CPS modernization efforts.

The Census Bureau released estimates showing that married-couple households made up 47% of all households in 2022, down from 71% in 1970. Estimates from the America�s Families and Living Arrangements: 2022 report also show that about 80 million U.S. households in 2019 were family households.

According to Vintage 2023 Population Estimates released on May 16 by the U.S. Census Bureau, large cities in the Northeast and Midwest grew in 2023, reversing earlier population declines.

On May 2, the Census Bureau unveiled a new research data product, Mobility, Opportunity, and Volatility Statistics (MOVS), that shows detailed income and household statistics over time and includes demographic characteristics such as race and ethnicity.

The Justice Outcomes Explorer (JOE), which measures the economic and health outcomes of people who were charged with criminal offenses, released from prison, or began probation or parole sentences, was unveiled on May 1. JOE is a collaboration between the Census Bureau and University of Michigan that uses Criminal Justice Administrative Records System to better understand how people involved in the justice system reintegrate into society.

On May 1, the Census Bureau announced that through the end of the month it would be accepting public comments on a proposed test of sexual orientation and gender identity questions on the American Community Survey (ACS). The test would begin this summer and continue into next year. The notice was published in the Federal Register.

Census Bureau Data Releases

New data products from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), a survey that measures business conditions and projections on an ongoing basis, were released on May 23.

The Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) for Puerto Rico, including 2021 and 2022 estimates and a new equity supplement, which merges the CRE for Puerto Rico variables with data from the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS) 5-year estimates and 2020 Census were released on May 23.

The U.S. Census Bureau released new data from Phase 4.1 of the experimental Household Pulse Survey (HPS) on May 16.

On March 16, the U.S. Census Bureau released a new summary report and data tables for the 2023 Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. These statistics provide a comprehensive look at the employment of the nation�s state and local governments.

New tables from the 2023 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement were released on May 14.

New data products from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), a survey that measures business conditions and projections on an ongoing basis, were released on May 9. On the same day, new Business Formation Statistics, which provide timely and high frequency information on new business applications and formations in the United States were published.

On May 1, additional data from the 2022 Annual Capital Expenditures Survey (ACES) about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. businesses was released.

News You Can Use

Below are several articles posted on The Census Project home page in May 2024. For a complete listing, go to: https://thecensusproject.org/recent-media/.

Social Security Map Shows 10 Cities With Highest Benefit Income
Newsweek
May 29, 2024

Detroit says the census undercounts its residents. It�s probably right.
The Washington Post
May 28, 2024

Armenians, Hmong and other groups feel US race and ethnicity categories don�t represent them
Associated Press
May 27, 2024

Most U.S. Pop Growth Last Year Occurred Outside of Largest Cities
RealClear Politics
May 23, 2024

Supreme Court Sides With Republicans Over South Carolina Voting Map
The New York Times
May 23, 2024

What it means to be Asian in America
The Boston Globe
May 20, 2024

The pandemic has changed when Americans expect to retire
CNN
May 18, 2024

Do you live in one of America�s 15 fastest-growing cities?
NEXSTAR
May 18, 2024

Housing boom in most of the US could ease shortage, but cost is still a problem
Stateline
May 16, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court upholds Louisiana�s redistricting plan
NPR
May 15, 2024

Research Update: New Data Show 2020 Census Undercounted Young Children in Every State and Most Counties
Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy, Center for Children and Families
May 15, 2024

Republicans renew push to exclude noncitizens from the census that helps determine political power
Associated Press
May 8, 2024