Ethnic coalition supports preservation of ancestry question on 2000 Census (03/16/97)

Ethnic coalition supports preservation of ancestry question on 2000 Census

Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

WASHINGTON - March 5 was designated Ancestry Day on Capitol Hill by the Working Group on Ancestry in the U.S. Census, a coalition of over 80 organizations, including the Ukrainian National Association. The project's aim is to support the preservation of ancestry data in the U.S. Census.

The 1980 Census was the first U.S. census to ask a question about ancestry, thereby providing data about the ethnic origin of Americans. The long form, sent to one out of six households, asked the respondent to list (up to three) countries of origin. While the 1990 Census retained the question, respondents were allowed only two responses.

As part of the timeline for the 2000 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau is required, by April 1, to submit to Congress the topics to be included on the survey for the year 2000. The bureau presently intends to include the ancestry question as a required topic. While there is no organized opposition to the ancestry question, there remains a concern in Congress about the cost of the long form.

Estimates are that the long form costs an additional $300 million due to the lower level of voluntary compliance than with the short form. While some members of Congress have even suggested eliminating the long form, others have recommended just reducing the number of questions.

In an effort to demonstrate congressional support for the ancestry question, on March 5, Rep. Constance Morella (R-Md.) introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res. 38) urging the secretary of commerce to retain the ancestry question in the 2000 Census. Co-sponsoring the resolution are Reps. John Baldacci (D-Maine), John Conyers (D-Mich.), John Dingell (D-Mich.), Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.), Chris John (D-La.), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Patsy Mink (D-Hawaii), James Oberstar (D-Minn.), Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), Thomas Sawyer (D-Ohio), John Sununu (R-N.H.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), and Ray LaHood (R-Ill.).

A similar resolution will be introduced in the Senate by Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.). Already co-sponsoring that resolution are Sens. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), John Glenn (D-Ohio), Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.).

Ancestry Day, coordinated by the Arab American Institute Foundation and the National Italian American Foundation, involved visits to congressional offices, a press conference with sponsors of the Ancestry Resolution, and a luncheon for the Working Group and members of Congress.

On March 7, the National Italian American Foundation hosted a meeting of the Working Group with the director of the Bureau of the Census, Martha Riche.

Ms. Riche stated the Census Bureau's commitment to the ancestry question and outlined the over-all procedure for finalization of the questions to be contained in the forms. After providing Congress with its proposals by April 1, the bureau will receive direction from the relevant committees. A final determination will then be made and must be provided to the Congress by April 1, 1998.

Ms. Riche also pointed out that ethnic communities and organizations will be vital in the outreach program planned for the millennial head count. Compliance with the census is critical for a successful count of the American population, required by the Constitution. She committed to working closely with ethnic organizations on a variety of issues leading up to the census.

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