The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“CENSUS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H3442-H3443 on March 17, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CENSUS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) for 5 minutes.
Mr. McHENRY. Madam Speaker, tomorrow the President's nominee for Commerce Secretary will have his confirmation hearing in the Senate.
Gary Locke, the former Governor of Washington State, is the third nominee for this Cabinet position. As you recall, the second nominee, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew his name from consideration.
Senator Gregg objected to the President's intention to move control of the Census Bureau from the Commerce Department into the White House. This unprecedented move to politicize the 2010 Decennial Census has met with strong opposition from across the political spectrum. The Obama administration has since backtracked and attempted to downplay its role regarding the census. To his credit, Governor Locke has expressed his intention to not cede control of the 2010 census to the White House should he be confirmed.
I have encouraged our colleagues in the Senate Commerce Committee to ask Governor Locke several important questions at tomorrow's hearing, two of which are: What would he consider to be an inappropriate political interference from the White House regarding the census, and how would he respond to attempts from the White House to exert political influence over the conduct of the census?
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I suspect that Governor Locke's responses to these questions will determine his fate in the Senate.
But there is a second and equally important point of contention and controversy over the census. The statistical adjustment of census data is prohibited by Federal law. However, there are some partisans who refuse to give up the cause of data manipulation. They want to manipulate the census results for political gain, for their own political gain, and, in the process, undermine the integrity of the country's entire statistical system.
I hope that our colleagues in the Senate will question Governor Locke about his thoughts regarding statistical adjustment. Governor Locke expressed his willingness to use adjustment as an ``accuracy check.'' This comment must be expanded upon for members of the Senate Commerce Committee and all interested parties. Republicans and Democrats alike must truly guard the integrity of the constitutionally-mandated census in the United States. The appropriate allocation of Federal funds depend upon an accurate census.
My colleagues and I on the Census Subcommittee, of which I am the ranking member, are working to ensure that the 2010 Decennial Census is apolitical, fair and accurate. Governor Locke's confirmation should rest upon whether he shares this goal; a census free of White House political pressure and partisan influence and free of manipulation, and data manipulation in particular.
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