Speech #1010109482

Mr. Speaker. today the House will consider yet another proposal to direct the Census Bureau to exclude undocumented residents from the census counts used for reapportionment and calculation of certain Federal funds provided to the States on the basis of population. The 1990 census will mark the 200th anniversary of the count. The Government has counted undocumented residents In every decennial census since the first count in 1790. This practice Is grounded In the apportionment clause of the Constitution which requires an enumeration of "the whole number of persons." I believe it would be unconstitutional not to count undocumented residents. The Justice Department has advised Congress and taken the position in court that any legislative attempt to exclude undocumented residents from the census count Is unconstitutional. Last month. the Secretary of Commerce advised Congress that he would have recommended a veto of the Commerce. Justice. State appropriations bill had It Included language to exclude undocumented residents from the census. House Members have twice defeated attempts to include this language on another appropriations bill. Instructions to exclude undocumented residents from the 1990 census will disrupt the entire censustaking process scheduled to begin on April 1. 1990. Any attempt to count. then exclude. undocumented residents from the 1990 census will jeopardize the census In every community in the United States. Such an effort will also jeopardize outreach campaigns targeted at such historically undercounted groups as AfricanAmericans. HispanIcs. and lowincome persons. In my home State of Texas. an undercount of Texas minority populations alone in the 1980 census deprived our State of an estimated $30 million a year In allocations based on population. It Is in the best interests of the Nation that any attempt to exclude undocumented residents from the 1990 census count be defeated.