HR 5156
COUNT Act
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Bill overview
This bill, the Citizen Only Updated National Tally Act (COUNT Act), directs the Department of Commerce and various federal agencies to collect comprehensive data on the citizenship status of individuals residing in the United States. The goal is to create a more accurate understanding of the U.S. population’s composition, particularly regarding citizens, noncitizens, and undocumented immigrants, to inform immigration policy decisions. It mandates agencies to share relevant records with the Department of Commerce and proposes including a citizenship question on the 2030 census and expanding data collection efforts.
Key provisions
- Directs federal agencies to provide the Department of Commerce with access to administrative records related to citizenship status.
- Identifies specific records to be provided by agencies, including immigration records, passport data, and Social Security records.
- Establishes an interagency working group to coordinate data collection efforts for the census.
- Requires the Secretary of Commerce to consider including a citizenship question on the 2030 census.
- Authorizes the Bureau of the Census to discontinue using differential privacy methods.
- Mandates reporting to Congress on efforts to obtain state administrative records.
- Aims to increase the accuracy of citizenship data collection through expanded American Community Survey distribution.
Who is affected
- Federal Agencies
- Department of Commerce
- Immigrants (both citizens and noncitizens)
- Bureau of the Census
- State Governments
Sponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 5156
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To direct the Department of Commerce and Federal agencies to collect information on citizenship status of individuals residing in the United States, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Citizen Only Updated National Tally Act COUNT Act
or the
.
It is the policy of the United States to develop complete and accurate data on the number of citizens, noncitizens, and illegal aliens in the country. Such data is necessary to understand the effects of immigration on the country, and to inform policymakers in setting and evaluating immigration policies and laws, including evaluating proposals to address the current crisis in illegal immigration.
Each Federal agency shall promptly provide the Department of Commerce the maximum assistance permissible in determining the number of citizens, noncitizens, and illegal aliens in the United States, including by providing any access that the Department may request to administrative records that may be useful in accomplishing such objective.
In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), the following Federal agencies shall examine relevant legal authorities and, to the maximum extent consistent with law, provide access to the Department of Commerce to the following records:
Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; National-level file of Lawful Permanent Residents, Naturalizations.
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; F1 and M1 Nonimmigrant Visas.
Department of Homeland Security; National-level file of Customs and Border Arrival/Departure transaction data.
The Director of the Bureau of the Census shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate efforts, consistent with law, to maximize the availability of administrative records in connection with the census, with the goal of obtaining administrative records that can help establish citizenship status for 100 percent of the population. The Director shall chair the working group, and the head of each agency shall designate a representative to the working group upon request from the working group chair.
To ensure that the Federal Government continues to collect the most accurate information available concerning citizenship going forward, the Secretary of Commerce shall initiate any administrative process necessary to include a citizenship question on the 2030 decennial census and to consider any regulatory changes necessary to ensure that citizenship data is collected in any other surveys and data-gathering efforts conducted by the Bureau of the Census, including the American Community Survey. The Secretary of Commerce shall expand the distribution of the American Community Survey to secure better citizenship data.
Beginning on and after the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Bureau of the Census may not use the differential privacy process, and the Director of the Bureau shall issue public guidance on how the privacy of individual responses will be guaranteed in the absence of such process.