PRINTER'S NO. 3138

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

664

Session of

2020

INTRODUCED BY DERMODY, SCHLOSSBERG, DALEY, FRANKEL, SHUSTERMAN,

BIZZARRO, MALAGARI, HARRIS, MURT, HILL-EVANS, HOHENSTEIN,

LONGIETTI, RABB, KENYATTA, KINSEY, McCLINTON, CALTAGIRONE,

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 15, 2020

Supporting a complete and accurate 2020 census count.

WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution of the

United States mandates that every person in the United States be

counted every 10 years, including adults, children, citizens,

immigrants or visitors; and

WHEREAS, Since 1790, the United States has conducted the

constitutionally mandated decennial census of its population;

and

of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, The census is also used by the Federal Government to

distribute billions of Federal funds to states and local

communities; and

WHEREAS, A complete and accurate census count determines the

amount of Federal funding each state receives, which is vital to

the financial stability of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, This Federal funding provides our Commonwealth with

money for our schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other

infrastructure projects and vital programs, including Medicaid,

equates to $2,093 per person; and

WHEREAS, The decennial census also serves as an essential

policy tool for state government, county and local governments,

and businesses and industries; and

WHEREAS, From education and job creation, to housing and

emergency preparedness, data gathered from the census affects

nearly every aspect of our constituents' lives and our

communities, as it provides reliable and complete information

for research, decisionmaking and planning for both the public

and private sectors; and

the census, the result is a significant loss of Federal funding

for vital programs; and

WHEREAS, The total estimated loss in Federal funds for

Pennsylvania based on the number of residents missed in the 2010

census was approximately $222 million, the second highest loss

in the country; and

WHEREAS, Currently, Pennsylvania has 18 congressional

districts, the lowest since 1920, and is at risk of losing an

additional one or two congressional seats, which could limit the

impact the Commonwealth has on Federal policymaking; and

WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau estimates that 45%

of the households that receive the online census will complete

the census questionnaire online; and

WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau is mailing the

traditional paper questionnaires to the remaining 20% of

households, specifically to households with little or no

Internet access and with older adults; and

WHEREAS, The move to an online census could result in an

undercount in both rural and urban communities across this

Commonwealth that do not have access to broadband or Internet

Commonwealth's preparation for the census and recommending

policies focused on reaching hard-to-count populations and hard-

to-enumerate areas; and

WHEREAS, Based on previous participation rates, the

Commonwealth must make a concentrated and strategic effort to

reach hard-to-count populations in both rural and urban areas of

this Commonwealth to achieve a fair and full census count; and

WHEREAS, According to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, the

2010 census response rate in Pennsylvania was 77% in rural

areas, which was identical to the 2000 response rate, and 78% in

WHEREAS, Too many Pennsylvania residents were not counted in

the previous decennial censuses and, as a result, Pennsylvania

lost two seats in the United States House of Representatives in

2000 and lost an additional seat in 2010; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support a

complete and accurate 2020 census count; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the

critical impact that a complete and accurate census count has on

this Commonwealth and the day-to-day lives of all

Pennsylvanians; and be it further

county and local governments, businesses and industries,

colleges and universities, school entities and the media to

undertake activities to promote the importance of the census and

encourage all Pennsylvanians to participate in the 2020 census;

and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all

residents of this Commonwealth to educate themselves and their

families, friends and neighbors on the importance of a complete

and accurate census count and to submit their household's census

questionnaire by April 1, 2020, to ensure that all