The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability today held a hearing titled, “Oversight of the U.S. Census Bureau.” Members raised serious concerns over the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey which found that statistically significant miscounts occurred in the 2020 Census. Members pressed U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos on these serious data flaws that predominantly benefited Democratic-leaning states and emphasized that the Committee will continue to conduct oversight to ensure future censuses are accurate. In addition, members stressed that only citizens of the United States should be considered for purposes of apportionment and the Equal Representation Act is a commonsense legislative solution that would add a simple citizenship question to future censuses.
Key Takeaways:
The Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey—which measures Census count accuracy—revealed statistically significant miscounts in the 2020 Census that were not seen in the 2010 census.
·Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.): “The 2020 Census was flawed in ways not seen in prior censuses. No states were found to have had such errors in the 2010 census. It is imperative that we understand what went wrong in the 2020 census and take action to mitigate the risk of those similar errors in the 2030 census. Mitigating these risks is even more important, because there are major demographic changes happening across the country, as citizens of blue states flee from those high-tax, sanctuary jurisdictions for red states to enjoy lower taxes, a safer environment, and to exercise more freedom.”
Flaws in the 2020 Census count predominantly benefited Democratic-leaning states in the allocation of congressional seats and electoral college votes. The Committee will continue to conduct oversight to ensure the U.S. Census Bureau is conducting future censuses with the best methods to achieve accuracy.
·Chairman James Comer:“Six of the eight states benefiting from overcounts tended to favor Democrats in awarding congressional apportionment and electoral college votes. Meanwhile, five of the six states that were unfairly penalized by undercounts tended to vote for Republicans. These miscounts had an impact on representation. In the 2020 apportionment, a difference of only 89 people was the tipping point for New York being apportioned 26 seats instead of 27. Just 89 people.”
Only citizens of the United States should be considered for purposes of apportionment and passing the Equal Representation Act into law will be a priority in the 119thCongress.
·The Equal Representation Act,which passed the House earlier this year, adds a simple citizenship question to the decennial census questionnaire to ensure accurate information, and provides that only citizens are counted for apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives and Electoral College votes.
Member Highlights:
Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) noted that the U.S. Census Bureau needs to be apolitical, but flaws in the 2020 Census had vast political consequences. He highlighted that politically biased unelected and unchecked federal workers at agencies are a serious concern and employees at the U.S. Census Bureau, who should be nonpartisan, should be prioritizing an accurate count.
Rep. Comer:“The Census should not be political. I completely agree with that. This Committee has legislative jurisdiction over the Census. It is of the upmost importance we have confidence in the Census. You have all these Census workers. Many of us believe that federal agencies are populated with hyper-partisan and leftwing extremists. So many mistakes made in D.C. mysteriously benefit Democrats at the expense of Republicans. It is very important that all the thousands of employees at the Census understand that we expect a better product than what we got in this last Census. The 2020 Census was a failure. It was political. We need to determine now if we can have confidence in the Census moving forward.”
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) pointed out significant miscounts in the 2020 Census and how these errors largely benefited Democratic-leaning states and harmed Republican states.
Rep. Foxx:“As the Census notes on its website, the founders included the decennial census in the constitution to quote ‘empower the people over their new government’ end quote. To achieve this every person should be counted so reapportionment can proceed and give each state the proper number of representatives in the House and proper number of votes in the electoral college. It is concerning then that the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey found certain states had statistically significant overcounts and certain states and big undercounts… these undercounts tended to harm red states and overcounts stood to benefit blue states.”
Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) pressed U.S. Census Bureau Director Santos on significant flaws in the 2020 Census and Director Santos committed to providing the Committee documentation related to miscounts.
Rep. Palmer:“I want to know how much of the Census is based on simply estimates… Is the data based on direct contact or just estimates? I am trying to determine how much of the Census in 2020 was just based on estimates. I am going to assume a substantial part of this is just based on estimates.”
Director Santos:“Yes.”
Rep. Palmer:“Who handles the estimates? Is it a group of people or just an individual?”
Director Santos:“We will get back to you.”
Rep. Palmer:“We need an answer. If it is based on an estimate, it relies on documentation. Will you produce the documents that these estimates are based on?”
Director Santos:“Yes.”
Rep. Palmer:“I would like to note that for the record Mr. Chairman.”
Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) stressed that only citizens of the United States should be counted for purposes of apportionment.
Rep. Perry:“All residents are counted. So, I can be someone who is from a foreign country, not a citizen of the United States, and I just come over here and move here. And they are counted in the Census and are trusted to make decisions on behalf of the United States?”
Director Santos:“That is correct.”
Rep. Perry:“Ludicrous. This is what we ae doing in the United States and you agree with that. Allowing people from foreign countries who have no authority to be here but somehow are given the authority by the Census to have power and are counted in America. You should be counting citizens of the United States.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) championed the Equal Representation Act, legislation that would add a straightforward citizenship question to the decennial census questionnaire.
Rep. Jordan:“We ask people if they are blind or have mental illness. But we can’t ask a general question in the Census whether someone is an American citizen or not? Democrats don’t want to do this. We want to find out how many Americans are in this country because that is what the constitution says. Are you really opposed to a simple citizenship question?
Director Santos:“There could be a risk...”
Rep. Jordan:“Don’t you think this would have an impact here? Especially when it comes to how many congressional seats states have. The data may not reflect actual citizenship. My guess is you can talk to most people on the street, and most would say a citizenship question is fair. The fact we are not and that is just the dumbest thing in the world.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) emphasized that federal taxpayer dollars are delivered based on Census results and that Americans should have confidence in its accuracy.
Rep. Greene:“There has been a lot of discussion about reapportionment. We need to also discuss how federal dollars are sent to states based on the Census. The 2020 Census had significant miscalculations. Most of the miscounts benefited blue states and harmed red states. Six states were undercounted, five of which were red states. Isn’t it important to be accurate? Hopefully in this next Congress and new Administration we can make improvements. Like the Equal Representation Act that would add a citizenship question.”
Congressman
Scott Perry
Serving Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District
