Why Does The Census Matter?

Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, rebuking the Trump Administration’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the Census, was critical to protecting the sanctity of the Census from attempts to corrupt this process for political gain. But, we have much work to do to make sure that ongoing efforts to restrict or undermine the Census, whether by slashing funding or adding questions designed to suppress participation, are not successful.

A complete count is critical to our district, to Pennsylvania, and to the country. Here’s why:

The Census determines our representation in state and federal government.
Pennsylvanians know the impact of unfair districting and partisan gerrymandering better than anyone. The Census is critical to protecting the fairness of our elections as it forms the basis for drawing the boundaries of both congressional and state legislative districts, and making sure that the districts contain roughly equal populations.

The Census determines the distribution of $675 billion in federal funds to states.
This money funds schools, hospitals, roads and highways, public works, and many other important programs. The funds for these essential programs are based on population, so undercounts mean less money going to the people who need it most.

The Census provides statistics for policymakers, scientists, and businesses.
For us to effectively serve our communities, from local governments to Congress, the information collected by a complete Census must be accurate. Scientists also need Census data to conduct valuable social and demographic research, and businesses need Census data to make important decisions about job creation, investment, and growth.

Our office is working with local, state, and federal governments, and community stakeholders, to ensure that everyone is counted.

For more information on the Census, visit: https://www.census.gov/