Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
Latest action · Sep 19, 2022 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 11, 2022
- Passed HouseSep 15, 2022
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
This bill addresses the operations of the Bureau of the Census.
Specifically, the bill (1) requires the Deputy Director of the bureau to appoint an employee responsible for optimizing racial and ethnic equity in the decennial census of population; and (2) provides statutory authority for specified advisory committees.
The bureau may not include in the census any subject, type of information, or question that was not submitted to Congress.
The bureau must submit to Congress a report biannually that (1) describes each component of the operational plan for the subsequent decennial census of population; and (2) includes a detailed statement on the status of all research, testing, and operations that are part of the bureau's comprehensive plan for the decennial census.
The bureau must submit to Congress a certification stating that any question that has not appeared on the previous two decennial censuses has been researched, studied, and tested according to established statistical policies and procedures.
The Government Accountability Office must review such certification and report to Congress on whether the questions to be included have been researched, studied, and tested according to such policies and procedures.
The bureau, by January 1, 2026, and every 10 years thereafter, must transmit to Congress a lifecycle cost estimate for the decennial census of population first occurring after the date of transmittal.
The bureau must submit to Congress a report on local-level data and local field operations.
Recorded votes 3
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 435 | On Passage | Passed220–208 | Sep 15, 2022 |
| House 434 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed210–222 | Sep 15, 2022 |
| House 433 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to223–211 | Sep 15, 2022 |
Cosponsors 1
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Jul 13, 2022.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-VA | Gerald E. Connolly | Jul 13, 2022 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Oversight and Government Reform Committee | Referred Jul 11, 2022Markup Jul 14, 2022Markup Jul 20, 2022Reported Sep 9, 2022 |
| Senate | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | Referred Sep 19, 2022 |
Actions 30
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 19, 2022Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sep 15, 2022Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H7858-7860)
- Sep 15, 2022The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
- Sep 15, 2022UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on agreeing to amendments, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
- Sep 15, 2022The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 8326.
- Sep 15, 2022The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- Sep 15, 2022The House adopted the amendments en gross as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
- Sep 15, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 435).
- Sep 15, 2022Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Sep 14, 2022Rule H. Res. 1339 passed House.
- Sep 14, 2022Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1339. (consideration: CR H7833-7840; text: CR H7837-7838)
- Sep 14, 2022Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 302, H.R. 2988 and H.R. 8326. Rule provides for one hour of general debate each for H.R. 302, H.R. 2988, and H.R. 8326. Rule also provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Sep 14, 2022House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1339 and Rule XVIII.
- Sep 14, 2022The Speaker designated the Honorable Earl Blumenauer to act as Chairman of the Committee.
- Sep 14, 2022GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 8326.
- Sep 14, 2022DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1339, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Danny K. Davis en bloc amendment.
- Sep 14, 2022POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Danny K. Davis en bloc amendment, the Chair put the question on the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Comer demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- Sep 14, 2022DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1339, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hice (GA) amendment No. 2.
- Sep 14, 2022POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Hice (GA) amendment, the Chair put the question on the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Hice (GA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
- Sep 14, 2022Mr. Davis, Danny K. moved that the committee rise.
- Sep 14, 2022On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
- Sep 14, 2022Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 8326 as unfinished business.
- Sep 13, 2022Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1339 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 302, H.R. 2988 and H.R. 8326. Rule provides for one hour of general debate each for H.R. 302, H.R. 2988, and H.R. 8326. Rule also provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Sep 9, 2022Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Reform. H. Rept. 117-456.
- Sep 9, 2022Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 353.
- Jul 20, 2022Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jul 20, 2022Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 17.
- Jul 14, 2022Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jul 11, 2022Introduced in House
- Jul 11, 2022Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
In the Congressional Record 3
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H7953 | Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX | Sep 19, 2022 |
| House | Recorded votes H7858, H7859, H7860Danny K. Davis amendment (en bloc)enactHice amendment (eliminate for-cause removal requirements of Director and certain requirements for Deputy Director, allow for Deputy to act as Director, and cap number of appointees)Lists H7859, H7860Votes recorded by proxy on H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census ActVotes recorded by proxy on Danny K. Davis amendment to H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act | — | Sep 15, 2022 |
| House | Debate and remarks H7804–H7814, H7833–H7840Text printed H7804, H7837Amendments H7812, H7838, H7839Recorded votes H7812, H7813consideration (H. Res. 1339), previous questionLists H7813, H7814Votes recorded by proxy on H. Res. 1339, consideration of H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census ActVotes recorded by proxy on previous question to H. Res. 1339, consideration of H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act | Andy Barr R-KY, Andy Biggs R-AZ, Carolyn B. Maloney D-NY, Danny K. Davis D-IL, Ed Case D-HI (amendment), Gerald E. Connolly D-VA, Guy Reschenthaler R-PA (amendment), James Comer R-KY, Jamie Raskin D-MD, Jody B. Hice R-GA (amendment), Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX (amendment) | Sep 14, 2022 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Sep 12, 2022H.R. 8326, Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census ActAs posted on the website of the House Committee on Rules on September 9, 2022 (Rules Committee Print 117-64)
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 113, July 11, 2022, page H5945.
CRS reports 2
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 2
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| IF12419 | The U.S. Census Bureau | Resource | Feb 6, 2025 |
| R47847 | The U.S. Census Bureau: An Overview | Report | Nov 22, 2023 |
Amendments 2
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAmdt 315 | Amendments en bloc comprised of amendments numbered 1 and 3, printed in Part E of House Report 117-464. | Danny K. Davis D-IL | On agreeing to the Davis, Danny K. amendments (A001) Agreed to by recorded vote: 223 - 211 (Roll no. 433). |
| HAmdt 316 | Amendment sought to eliminate for-cause removal requirements of the Director of the Census Bureau, strike the requirement that the Deputy Director position be a career-reserved candidate and certain qualifications for the position, and add that the Deputy act as the Director in the event of a vacancy in the Director position. | Jody B. Hice R-GA | On agreeing to the Hice (GA) amendment (A002) Failed by recorded vote: 210 - 222 (Roll no. 434). |
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 5
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 13, United States Code, to improve the operations of the Bureau of the Census, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- Ensuring a Fair and Accurate Census Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.
- Advisory bodies
- Budget process
- Census and government statistics
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Commerce
- Executive agency funding and structure
- Federal officials
- Government information and archives
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government studies and investigations
- Racial and ethnic relations
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 19, 2022Referred in Senate
- Sep 15, 2022Engrossed in House
- Sep 9, 2022Reported in House
- Jul 11, 2022Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
