While our birth rate has dropped. the American population continues to grow by more than 2 million annually. Although women are having fewer children. the sheer numbers of the baby boom generation insure an ongoing natural increase. Immigration. both legal and illegal. is an almost as large source of growth. Demographic changes may be as important as sheer growth. Millions of Americans are leaving metropolitan areas to resettle in rural communities. The population will no doubt continue to shift to the South and West. The influx of immigrants taxes the capacities of host communities. The steady aging of the population forces changes in the chAracter and distribution of many services. Changes in the Nations populationwhether they be in fertility. mortality. immigration. or distributionaffect all of us. They have a profound impact on every sector of society: Health care. education. housing. transportation. employment. retirement programs. environmental protection. and business. In spite of this. the Federal Government simply does not have the capacity to plan ahead for these changes and no systematic focus on them is presently required.
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Immigration immigration immigrants