Washington, DC
Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement today following the Trump administration’s decision to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census form:
“I believe every American should have genuine concerns about the Trump administration’s controversial decision to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. It has always been in the best interest of our nation to protect the integrity of the census and make sure the decennial survey is fair, accurate and non-partisan. That was the purpose of the Enumeration Clause of the U.S. Constitution. To determine the number of people living in the United States, both citizens and non-citizens alike, every ten years. Since its inception in 1787, our population based-representation in Congress has depended on the precision of its count.
But the Commerce Department’s ill-advised effort to add a question on citizenship may result in less people participating in the survey, which would have an adverse effect on states like Massachusetts in the next decade. If there is undercount, we could potentially lose congressional representation, electoral college votes and billions of dollars in federal funding for critical programs like Head Start, Medicare and infrastructure. The statistics also help American businesses determine where to locate their distribution centers. As we prepare for the 2020 survey, we must encourage our residents to cooperate with the Census Bureau, and assure respondents that the personal information obtained will not be used against them or their families. I believe the citizenship question is unconstitutional, will result in an inaccurate census count, and is contrary to our basic American values. I oppose this plan in the strongest possible terms,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal.
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