Congressional Committee and Caucus Chairs Announce 2020 Census Partners

The Census Bureau delayed providing list to Congress despite multiple requests

Washington, February 25, 2020 Today, Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro announced the Census Bureau’s community partners for the 2020 Census. Congressional Committee and Caucus Chairs Announce 2020 Census Partners Washington, D.C.— Today, Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro announced the Census Bureau’s community partners for the 2020 Census.  On February 12, 2020, the Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing with the Director of the United States Census Bureau.  During that hearing, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz pressed the Director to provide the list of community partners to Congress in order to assist Members with ensuring a complete and accurate count in their districts.  On November 22, 2019, Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Congressman Steven Horsford joined Tri-Caucus Chairs Joaquin Castro, Karen Bass, and Judy Chu in sending a letter to the Census Bureau requesting a complete list of all local community 2020 Census partners broken down by congressional districts.  On January 21, 2020, the Oversight Committee also sent a letter to the Census Bureau requesting a list of Census partners.  The Bureau finally provided the list three months after the initial request and while the 2020 Census is already underway.  This delay undermines efforts by Members to collaborate with local partners in their communities in order to ensure an accurate count. The Members issued the following statement: “The 2020 Census is underway right now in Alaska, and will start in the rest of the country in a few weeks.  The Government Accountability Office recently released a troubling report highlighting the Census Bureau’s insufficient progress in working with partners who are critical in educating the public—especially minority, immigrant, and rural communities.  We hope that sharing this list of community partners with our fellow Members of Congress will help ensure a fair, accurate, and complete count across all districts.”  According to the Census Bureau, this list includes partner organizations that have “made voluntary commitments to conduct 2020 Census promotional outreach as part of the Community Partnership and Engagement Program and have indicated their willingness to be public.”  The Census Bureau provides more information on community partners on its website. Click here for the full list of community partners organized by state.  ###

Contacts:
Aryele Bradford (Oversight):  (202) 226-5181
David Damron (Wasserman Schultz):  (202) 225-7931
Michael Hardaway (House Democratic Caucus):  (202) 679-1439
Ben Suarato (Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus):  (202) 225-5464
Toyin Awesu (Congressional Black Caucus):  (202) 226-9776
Elena Pino (Congressional Hispanic Caucus):  (202) 507-0273