CTPP February 2009

ctpp@listserv.transportation.org

14 participants
20 discussions

by Ed Christopher

CONCERNS ABOUT GREGG ON CENSUS PROMPT WHITE HOUSE TO ASSERT AUTHORITY; REPUBLICANS CHARGE POLITICIZATION OF CENSUS COUNT Plus: Senate continues stimulus spending debate; 111th Congress continues to organize. Responding to concerns from key census stakeholders about the President’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, Obama Administration officials said the Census Director would report directly to the White House, according to an article by Jonathan Allen in today’s Congressional Quarterly. A posting by Philip Rucker on The Washington Post Blog subsequently quoted a White House statement as saying: “From the first days of the transition the Census has been a priority for the president, and a process he wanted to reevaluate. There is historic precedent for the director of the Census, who works for the commerce secretary and the president, to work closely with White House senior management, given the number of decisions that will have to be put before the president. We plan to return to that model in this administration." It was not clear from the Administration’s statement whether the Census Director would bypass the Commerce Secretary only on matters related to the 2010 census or on all Census Bureau activities. Republican leaders on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has jurisdiction over the census, called the Administration’s plan a “power grab to politicize [the] census.” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the committee’s senior Republican member, and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), the new ranking minority member on the committee’s census oversight panel, said in a statement: “President Obama’s calls for bipartisanship are severely damaged when reports indicate they’re maneuvering to stab Republicans in the back through a national gerrymander orchestrated directly by the White House.” In a letter to the President, the lawmakers said they were “shocked and dismayed” by the White House’s statement on the census. “Requiring the Census Director to report directly to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a shamefully transparent attempt by your Administration to politicize the Census Bureau and manipulate the 2010 Census.” Rahm Emanuel is a former Democratic member of Congress and former head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Reps. Issa and McHenry also suggested that having the Census Director report directly to the White House might violate the Census Act (Title 13, United States Code), which places the Census Bureau under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. President Obama nominated Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) to head the Commerce Department, which houses the U.S. Census Bureau, earlier this week. As reported in the February 3, 2009 Census News Brief, Sen. Gregg chaired the Appropriations subcommittee that funded the Census Bureau during the 2000 census and objected to an “emergency” appropriation of $1.7 billion that the Clinton Administration requested after a 1999 Supreme Court ruling forced a redesign of the census. The nomination prompted some census stakeholders to express concern about the Senator’s commitment to ensuring an accurate 2010 census. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued a statement saying, in part, “[S]en. Gregg’s record of previously voting to abolish the Commerce Department and his attempts to block President Bill Clinton’s efforts to secure adequate funding for the 2000 census raise troubling concerns regarding his commitment to the department’s core missions.” The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), a member of the Census Bureau’s 2010 Census Advisory Committee, said in a statement that Sen. Gregg’s “record raises serious questions about his willingness to ensure that the 2010 Census produces the most accurate possible count of the nation’s population. … NALEO will be closely monitoring the confirmation process to learn more about Secretary-Designate Gregg’s view of the Department’s responsibility to conduct an accurate census.” Amendments target extra funds for census in stimulus bill: The U.S. Senate continued consideration of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” today, after defeating at least one amendment that would have stripped funds for the 2010 census from the measure. Yesterday, by a vote of 32 – 65, senators rejected an amendment offered by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) to “eliminate unnecessary spending” in the stimulus bill, including $1 billion for 250,000 additional census takers, more partnership specialists, and increased outreach and promotion. In a statement explaining his amendment, Sen. Vitter called the 2010 census a “bottomless pit,” noting that Congress allocated additional funds for the census last year after the Census Bureau dropped plans to use handheld computers for door-to-door visits to unresponsive households. The proposed funding, the senator said, “is not job creation … it is not economic stimulus. … [It] is run-of-the-mill, Washington-big-Government spending,” suggesting that Congress should debate the need for more money at another time. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) decided not to offer an amendment to eliminate the census funds from the stimulus bill. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), ranking Republican on the Census Bureau’s oversight subcommittee, reportedly was still considering such an amendment. 111th Congress continues to organize: Congressional committees continue to organize for the 111th Congress. Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have made subcommittee assignments for the 111th Congress. The Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives is responsible for oversight of the Census Bureau and authorization of Census Bureau activities. Republicans are expected to announce their subcommittee assignments by next week; Rep. Patrick McHenry will be the new ranking Republican member on the census oversight panel. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives (Democratic Members) Chair: William Lacy Clay, Missouri Paul Kanjorski, Pennsylvania Carolyn Maloney, New York Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia Danny Davis, Illinois Steve Driehaus, Ohio Diane Watson, California Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org -- Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 19900 Governors Dr Olympia Fields, IL 60461

16 years, 5 months

Re: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

by Ed Christopher

Arash--thanks for the heads up. Seems like you may be on to something. ... A named White House spokesman indicated the policy today: "The White House took a small step back from what the senior official told CQ, releasing a statement late Thursday that couched the relationship between the Census Bureau director and the West Wing as one in which the director would work with the high-level officials rather than report directly to them. From the first days of the transition the census has been a priority for the president, and a process he wanted to reevaluate," White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said. "There is historic precedent for the director of the Census, who works for the Commerce secretary and the president, to work closely with White House senior management - given the number of decisions that will have to be put before the president. We plan to return to that model in this administration." LaBolt quote in both http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003025792 and http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/02/05/census_director_to_report_to…. the public controversy over the whole thing is quite something. The controversy over this news is facinating http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/02/05/census_director_to_report_to… http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/opinion/05thu3.html http://www.examiner.com/x-268-Right-Side-Politics-Examiner~y2009m2d5-Obama-… http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0209/Census_stripped_from_Gregg.h… http://www.impre.com/laopinion/opinion/editorial/2009/2/5/gregg-and-the-cen… http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003024858 http://www.usnews.com/blogs/barone/2009/02/03/-judd-gregg-at-commerce-could… ________________________________ Arash Mirzaei wrote: > No action may be necessary on any nomination hearing for Sen. Gregg. Census director may bypass Commerce Secretary according to this link: > > http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003024858 > > Arash Mirzaei > > Arash Mirzaei, P.E. > Travel Model Development Program Manager > North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) > Tel: (817) 695-9261 > Fax: (817) 640-3028 > Email: amirzaei(a)nctcog.org > > ________________________________ > From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Patty Becker > Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 11:50 AM > To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF > > Please remember that Gregg is nominated for Secretary of Commerce, not for Census Bureau Director. We have no nominee for that position right now. > > I doubt that the Secretary of Commerce would read this listserv. However, you might want to direct questions to the members of the Senate committee which will be holding his confirmation hearing. A list of those folks is attached. If any of them is from your state, contact him or her with questions for Sen. Gregg would be useful. > > Patty Becker > > > At 11:26 AM 2/4/2009, you wrote: > > One idea might be to let your state FHWA coordinators or someone who can ask Senator Gregg if he is interested in being part of this listserve. If so, we could precede to inform from that direction. > > Angie Byrne > Transportation Planner > Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization > Western Arkansas Planning and Development District > 1109 S. 16th St., P.O. Box 2067 > Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902 > (479) 785-2651 > abyrne(a)wapdd.org < mailto:abyrne(a)wapdd.org> > www.bistatempo.org<http://www.bistatempo.org/> < http://www.bistatempo.org<http://www.bistatempo.org/>> > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net > [ mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net]On Behalf Of Nancy Reger > Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:28 PM > To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF > > > Should we do anything--- ie say, welcome to Director Gregg and tell him how we use this data in the econ devt and transportation world as a community or just go solo? > > > Nancy Reger, AICP > Assistant Director, Transportation > Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission > 111 Liberty St; Ste 100 / Cols OH 43215 > (p) 614-233-4154 / (e) nreger(a)morpc.org > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [ mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher > Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:16 AM > To: ctpp-news maillist > Subject: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF > > PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; > SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL > Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census > > > President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New > Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg > authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The > Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department's Economics and > Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of > Economic Analysis (BEA). > > Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New > Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget > Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member > and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and > Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census > Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his > interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), > another large Commerce Department agency. > > Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, > Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the > Administration's request for additional census funding for fiscal year > 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a > Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up > operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 > billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion > the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case > challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used > for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the > House's proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as "emergency" > spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget > caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final > spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding > request, designating the entire amount as an "emergency." > > The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold > confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and > Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a > Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under > Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau > director; both positions require Senate confirmation. > > Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January > 28, by a vote of 244 - 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved > an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in > additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported > the bill. > > The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its > way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations > approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), > which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be > available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by > law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, > 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting > purposes by April 1, 2011. > > Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to > use $780 million to hire more census takers "to count underserved > communities"; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, "with > specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations"; and $100 > million to increase outreach and promotion "to minority communities." > Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who > are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community > leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to > "hard to reach" populations. > > The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to > strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the > proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. > > The House version of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of > 2009" does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the > additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau > should "hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase > targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational > and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial." The Census > Bureau should use $150 million for "expanded communications and outreach > programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups," according to the > House Appropriations committee. > > An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the > Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the > proposed spending for the 2010 census "would provide an infusion of new > jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census." Dr. > Santos calls the census "a shovel-ready infrastructure project," a > reference to one of President Obama's criteria for including projects in > a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at > http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. > > Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas > Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial > Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International > Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent > a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to "move quickly > to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census > Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills > necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on > track for good." The chairman said that "serious challenges in managing > key information technology activities" and reduced spending on > advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office > (GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a "high risk" federal program. > Sen. Carper called on the President to make the "overall success [of the > census] a top priority of your Administration." > > The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an > oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for > the 2010 census. > > Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to > the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications > Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions > about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at > TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to > other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News > Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org<http://www.thecensusproject.org/> > > -- > Ed Christopher > Resource Center Planning Team > Federal Highway Administration > 19900 Governors Drive > Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 > 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) > 708-283-3501 (F) > > _______________________________________________ > ctpp-news mailing list > ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news > > _______________________________________________ > ctpp-news mailing list > ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news > > _______________________________________________ > ctpp-news mailing list > ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Patricia C. (Patty) Becker 248/354-6520 > APB Associates/SEMCC FAX 248/354-6645 > 28300 Franklin Road Home 248/355-2428 > Southfield, MI 48034 pbecker(a)umich.edu > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > ctpp-news mailing list > ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net > http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news -- Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 19900 Governors Dr Olympia Fields, IL 60461

16 years, 5 months

RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

by Nancy Reger

Ooohh, we get to straight to Barack with our concerns. How cool is that? I'm going to quit bothering all of you with this now. Nancy From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Arash Mirzaei Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 4:10 PM To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF No action may be necessary on any nomination hearing for Sen. Gregg. Census director may bypass Commerce Secretary according to this link: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003024858 Arash Mirzaei Arash Mirzaei, P.E. Travel Model Development Program Manager North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Tel: (817) 695-9261 Fax: (817) 640-3028 Email: amirzaei(a)nctcog.org ________________________________ From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Patty Becker Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 11:50 AM To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF Please remember that Gregg is nominated for Secretary of Commerce, not for Census Bureau Director. We have no nominee for that position right now. I doubt that the Secretary of Commerce would read this listserv. However, you might want to direct questions to the members of the Senate committee which will be holding his confirmation hearing. A list of those folks is attached. If any of them is from your state, contact him or her with questions for Sen. Gregg would be useful. Patty Becker At 11:26 AM 2/4/2009, you wrote: One idea might be to let your state FHWA coordinators or someone who can ask Senator Gregg if he is interested in being part of this listserve. If so, we could precede to inform from that direction. Angie Byrne Transportation Planner Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization Western Arkansas Planning and Development District 1109 S. 16th St., P.O. Box 2067 Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902 (479) 785-2651 abyrne(a)wapdd.org < mailto:abyrne(a)wapdd.org> www.bistatempo.org<http://www.bistatempo.org/> < http://www.bistatempo.org<http://www.bistatempo.org/>> -----Original Message----- From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [ mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net]On Behalf Of Nancy Reger Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:28 PM To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF Should we do anything--- ie say, welcome to Director Gregg and tell him how we use this data in the econ devt and transportation world as a community or just go solo? Nancy Reger, AICP Assistant Director, Transportation Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission 111 Liberty St; Ste 100 / Cols OH 43215 (p) 614-233-4154 / (e) nreger(a)morpc.org -----Original Message----- From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [ mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:16 AM To: ctpp-news maillist Subject: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), another large Commerce Department agency. Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the Administration's request for additional census funding for fiscal year 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the House's proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as "emergency" spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding request, designating the entire amount as an "emergency." The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau director; both positions require Senate confirmation. Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January 28, by a vote of 244 - 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported the bill. The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting purposes by April 1, 2011. Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to use $780 million to hire more census takers "to count underserved communities"; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, "with specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations"; and $100 million to increase outreach and promotion "to minority communities." Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to "hard to reach" populations. The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. The House version of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau should "hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial." The Census Bureau should use $150 million for "expanded communications and outreach programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups," according to the House Appropriations committee. An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the proposed spending for the 2010 census "would provide an infusion of new jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census." Dr. Santos calls the census "a shovel-ready infrastructure project," a reference to one of President Obama's criteria for including projects in a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to "move quickly to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on track for good." The chairman said that "serious challenges in managing key information technology activities" and reduced spending on advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a "high risk" federal program. Sen. Carper called on the President to make the "overall success [of the census] a top priority of your Administration." The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for the 2010 census. Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org<http://www.thecensusproject.org/> -- Ed Christopher Resource Center Planning Team Federal Highway Administration 19900 Governors Drive Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) 708-283-3501 (F) _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patricia C. (Patty) Becker 248/354-6520 APB Associates/SEMCC FAX 248/354-6645 28300 Franklin Road Home 248/355-2428 Southfield, MI 48034 pbecker(a)umich.edu

16 years, 5 months

RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

by Patty Becker

Please remember that Gregg is nominated for Secretary of Commerce, not for Census Bureau Director. We have no nominee for that position right now. I doubt that the Secretary of Commerce would read this listserv. However, you might want to direct questions to the members of the Senate committee which will be holding his confirmation hearing. A list of those folks is attached. If any of them is from your state, contact him or her with questions for Sen. Gregg would be useful. Patty Becker At 11:26 AM 2/4/2009, you wrote: >One idea might be to let your state FHWA coordinators or someone who >can ask Senator Gregg if he is interested in being part of this >listserve. If so, we could precede to inform from that direction. > >Angie Byrne >Transportation Planner >Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization >Western Arkansas Planning and Development District >1109 S. 16th St., P.O. Box 2067 >Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902 >(479) 785-2651 >abyrne(a)wapdd.org <mailto:abyrne(a)wapdd.org> >www.bistatempo.org <http://www.bistatempo.org> > > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net >[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net]On Behalf Of Nancy Reger >Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:28 PM >To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net >Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF > > >Should we do anything--- ie say, welcome to Director Gregg and tell >him how we use this data in the econ devt and transportation world >as a community or just go solo? > > >Nancy Reger, AICP >Assistant Director, Transportation >Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission >111 Liberty St; Ste 100 / Cols OH 43215 >(p) 614-233-4154 / (e) nreger(a)morpc.org > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net >[mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher >Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:16 AM >To: ctpp-news maillist >Subject: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF > >PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; >SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL >Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census > > >President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New >Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg >authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The >Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department's Economics and >Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of >Economic Analysis (BEA). > >Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New >Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget >Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member >and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and >Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census >Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his >interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), >another large Commerce Department agency. > >Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, >Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the >Administration's request for additional census funding for fiscal year >2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a >Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up >operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 >billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion >the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case >challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used >for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the >House's proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as "emergency" >spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget >caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final >spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding >request, designating the entire amount as an "emergency." > >The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold >confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and >Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a >Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under >Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau >director; both positions require Senate confirmation. > >Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January >28, by a vote of 244 - 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved >an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in >additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported >the bill. > >The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its >way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations >approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), >which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be >available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by >law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, >2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting >purposes by April 1, 2011. > >Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to >use $780 million to hire more census takers "to count underserved >communities"; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, "with >specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations"; and $100 >million to increase outreach and promotion "to minority communities." >Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who >are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community >leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to >"hard to reach" populations. > >The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to >strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the >proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. > >The House version of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of >2009" does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the >additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau >should "hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase >targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational >and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial." The Census >Bureau should use $150 million for "expanded communications and outreach >programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups," according to the >House Appropriations committee. > >An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the >Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the >proposed spending for the 2010 census "would provide an infusion of new >jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census." Dr. >Santos calls the census "a shovel-ready infrastructure project," a >reference to one of President Obama's criteria for including projects in >a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at >http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. > >Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas >Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial >Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International >Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent >a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to "move quickly >to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census >Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills >necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on >track for good." The chairman said that "serious challenges in managing >key information technology activities" and reduced spending on >advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office >(GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a "high risk" federal program. >Sen. Carper called on the President to make the "overall success [of the >census] a top priority of your Administration." > >The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an >oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for >the 2010 census. > >Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to >the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications >Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions >about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at >TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to >other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News >Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org > >-- >Ed Christopher >Resource Center Planning Team >Federal Highway Administration >19900 Governors Drive >Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 >708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) >708-283-3501 (F) > >_______________________________________________ >ctpp-news mailing list >ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net >http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news > >_______________________________________________ >ctpp-news mailing list >ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net >http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news > >_______________________________________________ >ctpp-news mailing list >ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net >http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patricia C. (Patty) Becker 248/354-6520 APB Associates/SEMCC FAX 248/354-6645 28300 Franklin Road Home 248/355-2428 Southfield, MI 48034 pbecker(a)umich.edu

16 years, 5 months

RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

by Angie Byrne

One idea might be to let your state FHWA coordinators or someone who can ask Senator Gregg if he is interested in being part of this listserve. If so, we could precede to inform from that direction. Angie Byrne Transportation Planner Bi-State Metropolitan Planning Organization Western Arkansas Planning and Development District 1109 S. 16th St., P.O. Box 2067 Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902 (479) 785-2651 abyrne(a)wapdd.org <mailto:abyrne(a)wapdd.org> www.bistatempo.org <http://www.bistatempo.org> -----Original Message----- From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net]On Behalf Of Nancy Reger Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:28 PM To: ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net Subject: RE: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF Should we do anything--- ie say, welcome to Director Gregg and tell him how we use this data in the econ devt and transportation world as a community or just go solo? Nancy Reger, AICP Assistant Director, Transportation Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission 111 Liberty St; Ste 100 / Cols OH 43215 (p) 614-233-4154 / (e) nreger(a)morpc.org -----Original Message----- From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces(a)chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Ed Christopher Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:16 AM To: ctpp-news maillist Subject: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), another large Commerce Department agency. Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the Administration's request for additional census funding for fiscal year 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the House's proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as "emergency" spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding request, designating the entire amount as an "emergency." The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau director; both positions require Senate confirmation. Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January 28, by a vote of 244 - 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported the bill. The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting purposes by April 1, 2011. Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to use $780 million to hire more census takers "to count underserved communities"; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, "with specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations"; and $100 million to increase outreach and promotion "to minority communities." Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to "hard to reach" populations. The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. The House version of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau should "hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial." The Census Bureau should use $150 million for "expanded communications and outreach programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups," according to the House Appropriations committee. An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the proposed spending for the 2010 census "would provide an infusion of new jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census." Dr. Santos calls the census "a shovel-ready infrastructure project," a reference to one of President Obama's criteria for including projects in a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to "move quickly to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on track for good." The chairman said that "serious challenges in managing key information technology activities" and reduced spending on advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a "high risk" federal program. Sen. Carper called on the President to make the "overall success [of the census] a top priority of your Administration." The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for the 2010 census. Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org -- Ed Christopher Resource Center Planning Team Federal Highway Administration 19900 Governors Drive Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) 708-283-3501 (F) _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news

16 years, 5 months

[CTPP] Neil R Wiggins/STLS/FRS is out of the office.

by Neil.R.Wiggins＠stls.frb.org

I will be out of the office starting 02/04/2009 and will not return until 02/06/2009. I will respond to your message when I return.

16 years, 5 months

[CTPP] Free Data for Your Transportation Projects

by amorales＠cubitplanning.com

Check out the Environmental Justice (EJ) Estimator and the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Baseline Report at: http://www.cubitplanning.com?vis=ct In less than 60 seconds, you can pull free data ready for cut and paste insertion into planning reports and environmental documents. Free EJ Estimator-This tool uses Census data to estimate the likelihood of EJ groups at the block level. Transportation practitioners can use the EJ Estimator during project scoping, before site visits and to estimate the level of effort needed to address EJ concerns. Free LEP Baseline Report-This tool uses Census, school district and literacy data to identify LEP populations. You can cut and paste the automated text and tables into NEPA documents and planning reports. Thanks for trying these new tools at: http://www.cubitplanning.com?vis=ct Anthony Morales amorales(a)cubitplanning.com http://www.cubitplanning.com

16 years, 5 months

[CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF

by Ed Christopher

PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), another large Commerce Department agency. Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the Administration’s request for additional census funding for fiscal year 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the House’s proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as “emergency” spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding request, designating the entire amount as an “emergency.” The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau director; both positions require Senate confirmation. Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January 28, by a vote of 244 – 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported the bill. The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting purposes by April 1, 2011. Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to use $780 million to hire more census takers “to count underserved communities”; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, “with specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations”; and $100 million to increase outreach and promotion “to minority communities.” Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to “hard to reach” populations. The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. The House version of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau should “hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial.” The Census Bureau should use $150 million for “expanded communications and outreach programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups,” according to the House Appropriations committee. An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the proposed spending for the 2010 census “would provide an infusion of new jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census.” Dr. Santos calls the census “a shovel-ready infrastructure project,” a reference to one of President Obama’s criteria for including projects in a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to “move quickly to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on track for good.” The chairman said that “serious challenges in managing key information technology activities” and reduced spending on advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a “high risk” federal program. Sen. Carper called on the President to make the “overall success [of the census] a top priority of your Administration.” The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for the 2010 census. Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org -- Ed Christopher Resource Center Planning Team Federal Highway Administration 19900 Governors Drive Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) 708-283-3501 (F)

16 years, 5 months

[CTPP] Diana Portillo is out of the office.

by Diana Portillo

I will be out of the office starting 01/30/2009 and will not return until 02/04/2009.

16 years, 6 months

Re: [CTPP] CENSUS NEWS BRIEF (Away from Office)

by Richard Lin

Hi, I am out of office and will be back on Tuesday, February 17, 2009. If you need demographic information, please call (303) 866-4147 (Becky Picaso). For questions related to the CTF 7/1/2008 Housing Unit and GQ Population Estimates Review, please contact Elizabeth Garner, State Demographer, at (303) 866-3096 or email address at elizabeth.garner(a)state.co.us. Thank you. >>> ctpp-news 02/03/09 08:16 >>> PRESIDENT SELECTS SEN. GREGG FOR COMMERCE SECRETARY; SENATE CONSIDERS $1B FOR CENSUS IN STIMULUS BILL Plus: House Passes Stimulus Funds for Census President Obama has selected Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, to be his Commerce Secretary. The post would give Sen. Gregg authority over the Census Bureau and upcoming decennial census. The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which also houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Sen. Gregg, a three-term senator, former representative, and former New Hampshire governor, is the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee. He is a member and former chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (formerly Commerce, Justice, and State), which funds the Census Bureau. The biography posted on his official web site highlights his interest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), another large Commerce Department agency. Sen. Gregg chaired the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and State during the 2000 census. In 1999, he questioned the Administration’s request for additional census funding for fiscal year 2000; the Census Bureau had asked for an extra $1.7 billion after a Supreme Court decision forced it to redesign non-response follow-up operations. The House of Representatives had approved the full $4.5 billion for the census year, while the Senate allocated the $2.8 billion the Administration had sought before the Court ruling in a case challenging the use of sampling to compile census population counts used for congressional apportionment. Sen. Gregg especially questioned the House’s proposal to designate all census funding for 2000 as “emergency” spending, which would remove the allocation from under tight budget caps. The impasse over census funding helped delay passage of final spending bills for 2000; Congress eventually approved the full funding request, designating the entire amount as an “emergency.” The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold confirmation hearings for Sen. Gregg, while the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will be responsible for confirming a Census director. President Obama has not yet nominated an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, who oversees the ESA, or Census Bureau director; both positions require Senate confirmation. Economic stimulus bill includes extra funds for 2010 census: On January 28, by a vote of 244 – 188, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an $819 economic stimulus bill (H.R. 1) that includes $1 billion in additional funds for the 2010 census. No Republican lawmakers supported the bill. The stimulus package requested by President Obama is also working its way through the U.S. Senate. Last week, the Committee on Appropriations approved its own version of the economic recovery package (S. 336), which includes $1 billion for the 2010 census. The funds would be available until September 30, 2010. The Census Bureau is required by law to report state population totals to the President by December 31, 2010, and detailed populations counts to the states for redistricting purposes by April 1, 2011. Committee report language (S. Rept. 111-3) directs the Census Bureau to use $780 million to hire more census takers “to count underserved communities”; $120 million to expand the Partnership Program, “with specific focus being placed on hard to reach populations”; and $100 million to increase outreach and promotion “to minority communities.” Appropriators suggested that the Census Bureau hire additional staff who are experienced with partnership programs and are trusted community leaders who can convey the importance of participating in the census to “hard to reach” populations. The full Senate is considering the package this week. Amendments to strip or reduce some of the funding from the bill, including the proposed $1 billion for the 2010 census, are possible. The House version of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” does not lay out as many specific dollar amounts for spending the additional money, instead saying more broadly that the Census Bureau should “hire additional personnel, provide required training, increase targeted media purchases, and improve management of other operational and programmatic risks to ensure a successful decennial.” The Census Bureau should use $150 million for “expanded communications and outreach programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups,” according to the House Appropriations committee. An analysis of the economic stimulus package by Robert Santos of the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank, concludes that the proposed spending for the 2010 census “would provide an infusion of new jobs, better community participation and a more accurate census.” Dr. Santos calls the census “a shovel-ready infrastructure project,” a reference to one of President Obama’s criteria for including projects in a stimulus package. The analysis is available on-line at http://www.urban.org/issues/recovery.cfm#santos. Senator urges quick appointment of Census Director: Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs), sent a letter to President Obama on January 28, urging him to “move quickly to fill the top leadership at the Commerce Department and the Census Bureau with individuals with the knowledge and the management skills necessary to get the ongoing preparations for the 2010 Census back on track for good.” The chairman said that “serious challenges in managing key information technology activities” and reduced spending on advertising and outreach have led the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to designate the 2010 census as a “high risk” federal program. Sen. Carper called on the President to make the “overall success [of the census] a top priority of your Administration.” The Federal Financial Management panel has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing for February 25 to review the status of planning for the 2010 census. Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, a consultant to the nonpartisan Census Project, organized by the Communications Consortium Media Center in Washington, DC. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. Please feel free to circulate this document to other interested individuals and organizations. Previous Census News Briefs are posted at www.thecensusproject.org -- Ed Christopher Resource Center Planning Team Federal Highway Administration 19900 Governors Drive Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) 708-283-3501 (F) _______________________________________________ ctpp-news mailing list ctpp-news(a)chrispy.net http://www.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/ctpp-news

16 years, 6 months

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

CTPP February 2009