II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1715

To provide for an interim census of Americans residing abroad, and to

require that such individuals be included in the 2010 decennial census.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 8, 1999

Mr. ROCKEFELLER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and

referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To provide for an interim 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) Americans residing abroad play a key role

9 in advancing this Nation’s interests by serving as

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

11 the United States; and

12 (4) the major business, civic, and community

13 organizations representing Americans and companies

14 of the United States abroad support the counting of

15 all Americans residing abroad by the Bureau of the

16 Census, and are prepared to assist the Bureau of

17 the Census in this task.

18 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con19 gress that—

20 (1) the Bureau of the Census should undertake

21 a census of all Americans residing abroad in a spe22 cial census, and that the necessary funding should

23 be appropriated for this purpose;

24 (2) the Bureau of the Census should, after com25 pleting that special census, review the means by
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1 which Americans residing abroad may be included in

2 the 2010 decennial census; and

3 (3) the Bureau of the Census should take ap4 propriate measures to provide for the inclusion of

5 Americans residing abroad in the 2010 decennial

6 census and decennial censuses thereafter.

7 SEC. 3. COUNTING OF AMERICANS RESIDING ABROAD.

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

9 shall—

10 (1) using any authorities available to the Sec11 retary under section 182 or any other provision of

12 title 13, United States Code, take a special census

13 of all Americans residing abroad as of April 1, 2003

14 (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘special census’’);

15 (2) submit the final tabulations under the spe16 cial census to the President and Congress within 9

17 months after the date specified in paragraph (1),

18 broken down into all appropriate categories,

19 including—

20 (A) Americans residing abroad affiliated

21 with the Federal Government, and their de22 pendents; and

23 (B) Americans residing abroad not affili24 ated with the Federal Government, and their

25 dependents;
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1 (3) not later than June 30, 2005, submit to the

2 President and Congress a report containing any rec3 ommendations the Secretary may have with respect

4 to the inclusion of Americans residing abroad in fu5 ture decennial censuses, including—

6 (A) counting methodologies;

7 (B) the purposes for which any informa8 tion could or should be used; and

9 (C) whether Americans residing abroad

10 can be included in the 2010 decennial census

11 for purposes of the apportionment of Rep12 resentatives in Congress among the several

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

14 (4) take appropriate measures—

15 (A) to provide for the inclusion of Ameri16 cans residing abroad in the 2010 decennial cen17 sus and decennial censuses thereafter; and

18 (B) to make use of the information ob19 tained from such censuses for such purposes as,

20 and to the maximum extent that, the Secretary

21 considers feasible and appropriate.

22 (b) INTERIM REPORT ON SPECIAL CENSUS.—Not

23 later than June 30, 2002, the Secretary of Commerce

24 shall submit to the committees of Congress having legisla-
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1 tive jurisdiction over the census a report which shall

2 include—

3 (1) a summary of how the plans and prepara4 tions for carrying out the special census are pro5 ceeding;

6 (2) a brief description or outline of how the tab7 ulations in the special census are to be carried out;

8 and

9 (3) information identifying any experts, consult10 ants, interest groups, or other persons outside the

11 Bureau of the Census who were consulted in connec12 tion with the special census.

13 (c) CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION; PEN14 ALTIES.—The provisions of section 9 and chapter 7 of title

15 13, United States Code, shall apply with respect to the

16 special census.

17 (d) LIMITED USE OF DATA.—The data obtained

18 from the special census may not be used for any purpose

19 not specifically provided for under this section.

20 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

21 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be

22 necessary to carry out this Act.

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