For Immediate Release: September 1, 2020
Katherine Ungar, JD,
Policy Associate
Alison Paxson,
Policy and Communications Associate apaxson@childrensdefense.org
Organizations from throughout Ohio urge Congress to extend the census timeline in support of a complete and accurate count
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition, co-led by CDF-Ohio, and joined by 17 non-profit and advocacy partners from throughout Ohio, submitted a letter to Senator Rob Portman and Senator Sherrod Brown urging them to support legislation that would extend the census timeline by four months. This additional time is critical to ensuring Ohio’s Census Count is complete and accurate.
The process for an accurate and complete 2020 Census has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Census Bureau (USCB) suspended field activities and postponed key operations putting it significantly behind schedule. These very serious challenges prompted career professionals at the USCB and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to request that Congress extend the reporting deadlines. This extension is critical for USCB to deliver reliable, accurate, and complete apportionment and redistricting data to the Congress and states. Read full press release here