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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Once a decade, America comes together to count
3every resident in the United States, creating national
4awareness of the importance of the census and its valuable
5statistics; the decennial census was first taken in 1790, as
6mandated by the Constitution; it counts our population and
7households, providing the basis for reapportioning
8congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing more than
9$675 billion in federal funds annually to support states,
10counties, and communities' vital programs - impacting housing,
11education, transportation, employment, health care, and public
12policy; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The next census is coming in 2020; counting an
14increasingly diverse and growing population is a massive
15undertaking; it requires years of planning and the support of
16thousands of people; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Ultimately, the success of the census depends on
18everyone's participation; the Census Bureau depends on
19cross-sector collaborations with organizations and individuals
20to get people to participate; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The 2020 Census is important to Illinois; the
22census affects our State's voice in government, how much

 

 

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1funding our communities receive, and how our communities will
2plan for the future; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The census is about fair representation; every ten
4years, the results of the census are used to reapportion the
5House of Representatives, determining how many seats each state
6gets; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The census is part of every individual's civic
8duty; it is a way to participate in our democracy; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The census is about redistricting; state
10officials use the results to redraw the boundaries of their
11congressional and state legislative districts, adapting to
12population shifts; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Data collected is confidential; federal law
14protects census responses, and answers can only be used to
15produce statistics; information cannot be shared with
16immigration enforcement agencies, law enforcement agencies, or
17any agency that determines eligibility for government
18benefits; and
 
19    WHEREAS, In addition, the census benefits each of our
20communities; federal funds, grants, and support to states,
21counties, and communities are based on population totals and

 

 

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1breakdowns by sex, age, race, and other factors; our
2communities benefit the most when the census counts everyone;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, Census data is used in all kinds of ways;
5residents use the census to support community initiatives
6involving legislation, quality-of-life, and consumer advocacy;
7businesses use Census Bureau data to decide where to build
8factories, offices, and stores, and these create jobs; local
9government officials use the census to ensure public safety and
10plan new schools and hospitals; real estate developers and city
11planners use the census to plan new homes and improve
12neighborhoods; and
 
13    WHEREAS, There are a variety of reasons people do not
14participate in the decennial census; they might think it will
15not have an impact on their life, or they might be afraid of
16sharing information with the government; they might have
17trouble completing a census form or feel they do not have the
18time to commit to completing the form; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Every citizen of Illinois can help with the
20efforts to obtain an accurate census by making sure people know
21what the census is and how census data are used, and by
22encouraging everyone to participate; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The U.S. Census Bureau will host a live
2operational press briefing to mark the one year out milestone
3from the 2020 Census; on April 1, 2019, Census Bureau Director
4Dr. Steven Dillingham and Census Bureau leadership will brief
5the public on the status of operations and provide updates on
6the success of the integrated partnership and communication
7campaign; the Census Bureau will also be joined on stage by
8several organizations that highlight a handful of the
9partnerships that are key to ensuring a successful 2020 Census;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, Additionally, Census Bureau leaders will be
12available to discuss national hiring efforts and highlight what
13partners and other stakeholders can do to ensure complete and
14accurate counts in communities across the country; therefore,
15be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
17HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
18we encourage every citizen in the State to support efforts to
19insure an accurate census in 2020; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That we declare April 1, 2019 as "Census Day in
21Illinois", the one year mark until the 2020 Census kicks off.