I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1619

To provide for a test census of Americans residing abroad, and to require 

that such individuals be included in the 2010 decennial census. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 3, 2003

Mrs. MALONEY (for herself, Mr. PETRI, and Mr. MCNULTY) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 

A BILL

To provide for a test census of Americans residing abroad, 

and to require that such individuals be included in the 

2010 decennial census.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Census of Americans 

5 Abroad Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

8 (1) an estimated 3,000,000 to 6,000,000 Amer9 icans live and work overseas while continuing to vote 

10 and pay taxes in the United States; 
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1 (2) Americans residing abroad help increase ex2 ports of American goods because they traditionally 

3 buy American, sell American, and create business 

4 opportunities for American companies and workers, 

5 thereby strengthening the United States economy, 

6 creating jobs in the United States, and extending 

7 United States influence around the globe; 

8 (3) with the growing threat of terrorism against 

9 Americans who live around the world, the need to 

10 account for the number of Americans residing in dif11 ferent countries is even more important; 

12 (4) Americans residing abroad play a key role 

13 in advancing this Nation’s interests by serving as 

14 economic, political, and cultural ‘‘ambassadors’’ of 

15 the United States; and 

16 (5) the major business, civic, and community 

17 organizations representing Americans and companies 

18 of the United States abroad support the counting of 

19 all Americans residing abroad by the Bureau of the 

20 Census, and are prepared to assist the Bureau of 

21 the Census in this task. 

22 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con23 gress that—

24 (1) the Bureau of the Census should undertake 

25 a test census of Americans residing in selected coun-
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1 tries abroad, and that the necessary funding should 

2 be appropriated for this purpose; 

3 (2) the Bureau of the Census should, after com4 pleting that test census, review the means by which 

5 Americans residing abroad may be included in the 

6 2010 decennial census; 

7 (3) based on its review (described in paragraph 

8 (2)), the Bureau of the Census should again test 

9 methodologies that would provide for the counting of 

10 Americans residing abroad; and 

11 (4) the Bureau of the Census should take ap12 propriate measures to provide for the inclusion of 

13 Americans residing abroad in the 2010 decennial 

14 census and decennial censuses thereafter. 

15 SEC. 3. COUNTING OF AMERICANS RESIDING ABROAD. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce 

17 shall—

18 (1) using any authorities available to the Sec19 retary under section 182 or any other provision of 

20 title 13, United States Code, take a test census of 

21 Americans residing abroad by September 30, 2004; 

22 (2) submit the final tabulations of the test cen23 sus to the President and Congress within 9 months 

24 after the date specified in paragraph (1), broken 

25 down into appropriate categories, including—
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1 (A) Americans residing abroad affiliated 

2 with the Federal Government, and their de3 pendents; and 

4 (B) Americans residing abroad not affili5 ated with the Federal Government, and their 

6 dependents; 

7 (3) not later than June 30, 2005, submit to the 

8 President and Congress a report containing any rec9 ommendations the Secretary may have with respect 

10 to the inclusion of Americans residing abroad in fu11 ture decennial censuses, including—

12 (A) counting methodologies; 

13 (B) the purposes for which any informa14 tion could or should be used; and 

15 (C) whether Americans residing abroad 

16 can be included in the 2010 decennial census 

17 for purposes of the apportionment of Rep18 resentatives in Congress among the several 

19 States and, if so, how that should be done; 

20 (4) after submitting the report required by 

21 paragraph (3), but before the end of 2006, again 

22 test methodologies for counting Americans residing 

23 abroad; and 

24 (5) take appropriate measures—
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1 (A) to provide for the inclusion of Ameri2 cans residing abroad in the 2010 decennial cen3 sus and decennial censuses thereafter; and 

4 (B) to make use of the information ob5 tained from such censuses for such purposes as, 

6 and to the maximum extent that, the Secretary 

7 considers feasible and appropriate. 

8 (b) CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION; PEN9 ALTIES.—The provisions of section 9 and chapter 7 of title 

10 13, United States Code, shall apply with respect to the 

11 test census. 

12 (c) LIMITED USE OF DATA.—The data obtained from 

13 the test census may not be used for any purpose not spe14 cifically provided for under this section. 

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

16 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

17 necessary to carry out this Act.

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