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For Immediate Release: 4/8/99 Contact: Mario H. Lopez (301) 457-5080 Census Monitoring Board Issues Joint Report-B... The U.S. Census Monitoring Board today issued its second report to Congress, exploring some of the critical operational issues the Census Bureau faces as it prepares and conducts the 2000 decennial census. In order to address the expected undercount of children, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians and American Indians, the Board recommended the Census Bureau dedicate additional staff and resources, and enlist local officials and community organizations, to identify hard-to-enumerate (HTE) areas which are home to many traditionally undercounted communities. Today’s report was endorsed unanimously by the eight members of the bipartisan board, co-chaired by J. Kenneth Blackwell on the Congressional side and Tony Coelho on the Presidential side. The other members of the Board are: Congressional appointees Dr. David W. Murray, A. Mark Neuman, and Joe D. Whitley, and Presidential appointees Gilbert F. Casellas, Dr. Everett M. Ehrlich, and Lorraine Green. In an executive summary signed by the eight members, the report lists 18 joint recommendations, and concludes, “While there remain significant disagreements on many aspects of census policy, the goal on which we all can agree is that of producing the most accurate possible census in the year 2000. To help the Census Bureau reduce the undercount, the Board urges the Bureau to prepare standardized instructions detailing methods and procedures for Bureau personnel and temporary employees to count people living in HTE areas. Additionally, the Board recommends that the Census Bureau immediately focus on identifying staffing and language needs in HTE neighborhoods, to allow the necessary time to recruit, hire and train a workforce best suited to reduce the differential undercount of those communities. Also, the Board recommends Congress exempt the Bureau from current hiring restrictions, so the Bureau can employ non-citizens lawfully present in the U.S. to improve the count of immigrant communities. The Board recommends the Bureau provide assistance to local and tribal governments in forming Complete Count Committees (CCCs) and dedicate adequate staff, resources and funding to ensure these committees help locate and count traditionally undercounted populations. Furthermore, the Board urges the Bureau to work with CCCs and local partners to identify sites for Questionnaire Assistance Centers to help people complete a census form, and identify areas that need forms in languages other than English. Full copies of the April 1 Report to Congress will be available on both websites: www.cmbc.gov and www.cmbp.gov. The Census Monitoring Board is a bipartisan panel created by Congress to monitor the implementation of Census 2000. It is comprised of eight members – four appointed by Congress and four appointed by the President. 7/30/01: Statement of Board Co-Chair A. Mark Neuman6/7/01: New Report Questions Statistical Adjustment4/18/01: Congressional Board Members Hail Success of Ce...3/30/01: CMB Congressional Members Join Census Bureau P...1/1/01: Congressional Members Recognize Census Bureau P...10/18/00: Report to Congress Details Board`s Observatio...9/11/00: Georgia Leaders Say Local Commitment Increase...6/27/00: Community Programs & Commitment Insure Accurat...6/26/00: Los Angeles Leaders Praise Community-based Pro...6/9/00: Blackwell Promotes Census at Allen AME Church i...3/20/00: Have You Been Counted?2/9/00: Undercount Summit Report Cites Recommendations ...11/5/99: Hispanic Newspaper Executives Hear Count Conce...9/27/99: False Hopes, False Expectations Raised By Stat...9/15/99: Latino Communities Urged to Prepare for Census...7/22/99: Census Bureau to Implement Monitoring Board Re...5/4/99: Blackwell Calls on Census Bureau to Enlist Lo...4/27/99: Census Board Members Advocate Empowering Comm...4/8/99: Census Monitoring Board Issues Joint Report-B...2/1/99: Blackwell Urges Census Bureau to Include Loca...2/1/99: Congressional Members` Release First Report t...