From the Every Child Matters Education Fund (http://www.everychildmatters.org/):
Did you know that young children–those under age five–have been undercounted in the U.S. Census for decades and at a higher rate than any other age group?
In fact, the last census missed nearly one million children, undercounting young Black and Hispanic children at the highest rates.
The 2020 Census is around the corner. We need your voice to ensure a complete and accurate count! Act now at http://cqrcengage.com/censuscounts2020/app/act-on-a-regulation?0&engagementId=484734.
To make matters worse, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has announced plans to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 Census. This move could make immigrant and mixed-status families reluctant to return their census forms, despite laws protecting the privacy of respondents’ data.
Undercounting children and minorities in the census will have implications lasting a decade or longer. The 2020 Census will determine not only how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are reallocated among states, but also the fate of $600 billion in funding for federal programs – many of which are intended to support the populations most at risk of being undercounted. These include the Children’s Insurance Program (CHIP), Special Education Grants, Head Start, foster care, the Child Care Development Fund, Section 8 housing assistance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and others.
Protect funding for children’s programs. Oppose the citizenship question on the 2020 Census.
The good news is that we have an opportunity to make it right. The decision is open for public comment, and organizations, business leaders, individuals, and members of Congress–both Democrats and Republicans–have already shared their objections. We urge you to add your voice to show the Secretary how bad this question is for children and families.
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