I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 732 

To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Commerce 

to provide advance notice to Congress before changing any questions 

on the decennial census, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 23, 2019 

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York (for herself, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. 

MENG, Mr. SOTO, Mr. CLAY, Ms. TLAIB, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK, Ms. WILD, 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. SIRES, Mr. VELA, Mr. 

ESPAILLAT, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COOPER, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. PASCRELL, 

and Ms. JUDY CHU of California) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

A BILL 

To amend title 13, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Commerce to provide advance notice to Congress before changing any questions on the decennial 

census, and for other purposes. 

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; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘2020 Census Improving Data and Enhanced Accuracy 

6 Act’’ or the ‘‘2020 Census IDEA Act’’. 


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1 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

2 (1) The decennial census was embedded in arti3 cle I of the Constitution of the United States by the 

4 founders of the United States for the purpose of ap5 portionment of seats among the States in the U.S. 

6 House of Representatives. 

7 (2) The founders believed that a census was es8 sential in measuring the progress of the country and 

9 helping to chart its future. 

10 (3) The 2020 decennial census will, for the dec11 ade to follow, shape the reapportionment of the 

12 House of Representatives and the drawing of thou13 sands of State and local political districts. 

14 (4) Over $800,000,000,000 in Federal assist15 ance to State and local communities every year is in16 formed by the results of the decennial census. 

17 (5) Congress seeks to make the 2020 decennial 

18 census the most complete, accurate, and fair decen19 nial census in the history of the United States. 

20 (6) The decennial census is the largest peace21 time mobilization undertaken by the Federal Gov22 ernment. 

23 (7) Any late, untested changes to the oper24 ational design of the decennial census will jeopardize 


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1 public cooperation with the census and, therefore, 

2 the success and accuracy of the decennial census. 

3 SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DE4 CENNIAL CENSUS. 

5 Section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (f)— 

8 (A) in paragraph (1), by adding ‘‘and’’ at 

9 the end; 

10 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

11 and inserting a period; and 

12 (C) by striking paragraph (3); 

13 (2) by redesignating subsection (g) as sub14 section (h); 

15 (3) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol16 lowing: 

17 ‘‘(g) LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.— 

18 ‘‘(1) NOTICE TO CONGRESS OF OPERATIONAL

19 DESIGN, SUBJECTS, TYPES OF INFORMATION, AND

20 QUESTIONS.—In the 2020 decennial census of popu21 lation and each decennial census thereafter, the Sec22 retary may not— 

23 ‘‘(A) with respect to the census or any sur24 vey conducted in connection with the census, 

25 implement any major operational design feature 


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1 that has not been researched, studied, and test2 ed for a period of not less than 3 years before 

3 the date on which the applicable census occurs; 

4 or 

5 ‘‘(B) include on the questionnaire for the 

6 census any subject, type of information, or 

7 question that was not submitted to Congress in 

8 accordance with subsection (f). 

9 ‘‘(2) REPORTS.— 

10 ‘‘(A) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not 

11 later than 90 days after the date of enactment 

12 of this subsection, and not later than the date 

13 that is 4 years before the date of a decennial 

14 census (beginning with the decennial census for 

15 2030), the Secretary shall submit to Congress 

16 a report that— 

17 ‘‘(i) describes each component of the 

18 operational plan for the subsequent decen19 nial census of population; and 

20 ‘‘(ii) includes a detailed statement on 

21 the status of all research, testing, and op22 erations that are part of the Bureau’s com23 prehensive plan for the decennial census. 

24 ‘‘(B) INTERNET PUBLICATION.—On the 

25 date on which the Secretary submits a report 


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1 under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 

2 publish the report on the public internet website 

3 of the Bureau. 

4 ‘‘(C) GAO ANALYSIS.—Before the date on 

5 which a decennial census occurs, the Comp6 troller General of the United States shall certify 

7 to Congress that the subjects, types of informa8 tion, and questions to be included in the census 

9 have been adequately researched, studied, and 

10 tested to the same degree as in previous decen11 nial censuses.’’; and 

12 (4) in subsection (h), as so redesignated, by in13 serting ‘‘DEFINITION.—’’ before ‘‘As used in’’. 

Æ 


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