Reps. Jamnick, Accavitti, Adamini, Anderson, Bieda, Brown, Dennis, Elkins, Farrah, Gillard, Hardman, Hopgood, Hunter, Kolb, Law, Lipsey, Meyer, Minore, Paletko, Sak, Sheltrown, Spade, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Woodward, Zelenko and Rivet offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 39.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to fund fully the American Community Survey component of the Census Bureau's 2010 Reengineering efforts.

            Whereas, In 1996, the United States Census Bureau began testing the American Community Survey in response to bi-partisan requests from Congress after the 1990 Census to respond to the concern that decennial census data has diminishing utility during the decade between decennial censuses; and

            Whereas, The American Community Survey, which is part of the 2010 Census Re-engineering effort, is an alternative method of administering the long-form component of the decennial census, which will result in yearly data releases instead of the current releases once every ten years.  Questions on the American Community Survey are essentially the same as those on the Census 2000 long form, which were required by federal laws, regulations, or court decisions; and

            Whereas, The Census Bureau is working with state, local, and tribal government officials to educate the nation about the census and to provide information about the survey's uses, benefits, and protections; and

            Whereas, Respondents to the American Community Survey will be covered by the same privacy and confidentiality protections afforded by the traditional decennial census; and

            Whereas, Through the American Community Survey, the Census Bureau will provide data to all levels of government to empower state, local, and tribal elected, appointed, and career officials to track the status of the communities they serve; and

            Whereas, The American Community Survey has demonstrated its usefulness as a decision-making tool for administrators and legislators during its testing phase with a data release that demonstrated emerging regional trends in a timely manner.  The American Community Survey will make long-form socio-economic data available prior to the 2010 decennial census; and

            Whereas, The American Community Survey has the potential to improve the quality of redistricting data by improving mail-back response rates; and

            Whereas, Full funding is necessary to launch the American Community Survey nationwide with an adequate sample size in order to maximize its usefulness as a resource for state legislators; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress to fund fully the American Community Survey component of the Census Bureau's 2010 Reengineering efforts and to make a long-term commitment to this effort. We express our support for the American Community Survey and the Census Bureau's 2010 Re-engineering effort, as these initiatives develop throughout the decade; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.