WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following statement following the Census Bureau’s announcement to cancel critical testing for the 2030 Census:
“I am alarmed by the Census Bureau’s announcement that it will significantly cut testing for the 2030 Census. These tests provide critical information to ensure the Census Bureau is accurately counting every person and cutting the test risks an incomplete count in the 2030 Census.”
“Communities in Michigan and across the nation depend on a full and accurate census to ensure communities receive their fair share of federal resources for schools, health care, infrastructure, and public safety. When the Census Bureau doesn’t accurately count people, the communities most in need lose out on critical resources.”
“I have long pushed the Census Bureau to conduct robust testing of strategies to reach historically undercounted communities to ensure that every person gets counted. I urge the Census Bureau to reverse its decision and conduct the 2026 Census Test with all six of the communities as planned.”
The Census Bureau’s announcement that it would cancel the 2026 Census Test sites comes just months before the test is scheduled to be conducted and after hiring and outreach has already begun, which will waste taxpayer dollars and could undermine the 2030 Census. These test sites were specifically chosen following the 2020 Census to cover areas that the Census Bureau has struggled to accurately count in the past, including urban and rural communities, military bases and Indian reservations. The Census Bureau made this decision to cancel testing without the input of Congress or the very communities where these tests were scheduled to occur.
In the run-up to the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau cancelled dozens of tests, including testing operational strategies in rural sites, areas with military bases, and Tribal lands. The Bureau also cancelled peak operations of the “dress rehearsal” in 2018 in two of three sites. GAO and the Census Bureau found that these cancellations led to population undercounts. Ultimately, the 2020 Census undercounted the population in six states and of renters, young children, older adults, working age men, and Black, Hispanic, and Native American people.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Peters serves as Ranking Member, is responsible for conducting oversight of the Census Bureau. Peters previously convened a hearing in downtown Detroit to examine impacts of the 2020 Census on Michigan. Peters also convened a hearing in 2021 with senior federal officials to examine how lawmakers can work to improve operations at the Census Bureau. Peters recently secured increased funding for the U.S. Census Bureau and language urging the Census Bureau to fully carry out the 2026 Census Test. This provision is essential to ensuring the Bureau does not fall behind on crucial preparations and can control long-term costs.
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