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.
“MILITARY HOME OF RECORD ACT OF 1999” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1164-E1165 on June 8, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
MILITARY HOME OF RECORD ACT OF 1999; LEGISLATION TO CLARIFY THE ``HOME
OF RECORD'' FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE 2000 CENSUS.
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HON. PAUL RYAN
of wisconsin
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 8, 1999
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to introduce legislation that I feel is essential to achieving an accurate count in Census 2000.
Military personnel are a unique group because they often pay taxes and vote in a state in which they are stationed; therefore, it is difficult to clearly define their actual residence. Most would not be residing in the place they have been stationed were it not for their military service. Many have family in another state.
My bill will provide clarity by ensuring that military personnel are allocated to their ``Home of Record.'' This will ensure that federal funding and redistricting are based on an accurate count of the population.
Currently, the Census Bureau plans to use ``Home of Record'' data for counting military personnel who are stationed overseas in Census 2000. This bill requires the Census Bureau to work in partnership with the Department of Defense to count military personnel who have been stationed in the United States as well.
This bill is not a radical shift in policy for the Census. In the 1990 Census as well as in the 1970 Census the Department of Commerce utilized ``home of record'' data. In 1992, the Supreme Court stated that the Secretary of the Department of Commerce was acting within the law when he used ``home of record'' data from the personnel files to count military personnel in the 1990 Census.
I am not seeking to uproot years of tradition here today; I am merely fighting to ensure that the Census is done in a fair and equitable manner, accounting for all U.S. citizens in their proper home. These men and women have claimed a state to be their ``home''-why shouldn't we honor that claim. There are many states that, merely based on location, have been chosen to house military personnel. Counting military personnel as residents of these states when they are voting and paying taxes elsewhere simply does not make sense.
I urge all my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this legislation.
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