--- Begin Forwarded Message --- >Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 09:24:55 -0700 >From: Linda Zellmer <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: FW: Census 2000 News Alert <fwd> Hello All, The following information might be of interest to others on the list. Linda Zellmer > October 15, 1998 > > > NEWS ALERT > > BUDGET AGREEMENT: Census Receives Funding Increase; Congress Will Revisit > Sampling Issue by June 15 > > Dual Track Preparations to Continue for Now > > The Census Bureau will receive $1.027 billion for 2000 preparations in > the fiscal year that began on October 1, according to an agreement > reached today between Congress and the Administration. But Congress > will revisit the dispute over sampling methods by June 15, 1999 before > funds can be spent after that date. Negotiators also agreed to stop the > flow of funds to the entire budget account covering the Departments of > Commerce, Justice, and State, and the judicial branch after June 15 > unless a new measure granting spending authority is enacted. > > The Bureau's allocation is $75 million above the $952 million for census > preparations approved by the House of Representatives last August. Of > the additional $75 million, $40 million must be spent on preparations > for a census that doesn't include sampling methods. > > Negotiators hope that the threat of shutting down law enforcement > activities, foreign embassy operations, and other vital programs in the > same bill will force sampling critics and the Administration to resolve > the controversy over census methods. The Census Bureau will complete > evaluations of this year's census dress rehearsal by next winter, and > the Census Monitoring Board must issue reports by February 1 and April 1 > of next year, as well. > > Congress and the Administration also hope that the Supreme Court will > issue a ruling before the self-imposed June 15 deadline in two lawsuits > challenging the use of sampling for purposes of congressional > apportionment. However, Rep. Dan Miller (R-FL) said in a statement > yesterday that a Supreme Court ruling that sampling is lawful "doesn't > automatically" mean that sampling will be used in the 2000 census. > > Funding for the census will be included in an omnibus spending package > covering numerous Federal departments and agencies. Congress is > expected to pass the bill within the next few days before leaving town > for the fall elections. > > Census director confirmation expected: The Senate is expected to confirm > President Clinton's nominee for Census Bureau director, Dr. Kenneth > Prewitt, before adjournment, according to Administration officials > monitoring census issues. Dr. Prewitt would take over from James F. > Holmes, the Bureau's Atlanta Regional Director who has served as acting > head of the Bureau since Dr. Martha F. Riche stepped down last January. > No Senators have expressed opposition publicly to the Prewitt > nomination. > > Questions about the information contained in this News Alert may be > directed to TerriAnn Lowenthal at (202) 484-2270 or, by e-mail at > <[log in to unmask]>. Please direct all requests to receive News > Alerts, and all changes in address/phone/fax/e-mail, to Census 2000 at > <[log in to unmask]> or 202/326-8700. Please feel free to circulate > this information to colleagues and other interested individuals. > > --- End Forwarded Message ---