Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 10, 2018 02:11 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Angel Cruz |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Resolution Urging the Census Bureau to Change Its Policy of Recording the Residence of Incarcerated Persons for the 2020 Decennial Census |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution urging the United States Census Bureau to change its policy of recording the residence of incarcerated persons from the location of the correctional facilities to the last known home address of such persons for the 2020 decennial Census. The United States Constitution requires the federal government to accurately record our country’s population every ten years. In fact, the decennial enumeration of the population is one of the most critical constitutional functions our federal government performs. Population data from the Census is used to apportion Congressional seats and Electoral College votes, draw state and local legislative districts, and allocate billions of dollars in federal funding. The Census Bureau uses a concept called “usual residence” to determine where people are counted during each decennial census. When counting most people, this is straightforward, but with some special populations, including incarcerated persons, it is not. In the past, incarcerated persons have had their residence recorded as the facility where they were located and this is going to continue with the 2020 decennial census. With a soaring prison population that is disproportionately comprised of minorities, such a decision has the potential to weaken the voting strength in minority communities while giving disproportionate political power to predominantly rural, white areas of our country where facilities are often located. It is crucial that the Census Bureau take every measure possible to ensure that everyone is counted in the right place because any error will most certainly have lasting consequences to our democracy. Please join me in being a voice for a population that is already underrepresented and targeted. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Harrisburg office at 717-705-1925. |
Introduced as HR1020