Save the American Community Survey

On May 10th the House voted to defund the 2012 Economic Census and eliminate funding for the American Community Survey.

The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that provides data every year -- giving communities the current information they need to plan investments and services.

Information from the survey generates data that help determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year.

The Senate may consider funding on the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill this week.

Online petition of support here:
http://www.petition2congress.com/6825/save-american-community-survey-acs/

Rep. Norman Dicks (Washington), Member of the Appropriations Committee, commented that the ACS was first administered in 2005 under President Bush and includes questions that were part of the long form Census and have been asked since the time of Thomas Jefferson.

Information from this study are used to establish policies about how to distribute over $800 million in federal funds, including Medicaid benefits.

For more in depth information:
A Future Without Key Social and Economic Statistics for the Country, from the blog of Robert M. Groves, Director of the U.S. Census Bureau.

The 2012 Economic Census provides comprehensive information on the health of over 25 million businesses and 1,100 industries. It provides detailed industry and geographic source data for generating quarterly GDP estimates.

The economic census is also the benchmark for measures of productivity, producer prices, and many of the nation’s principal economic indicators. At this moment, we are poised to request the key data from individual firms.

We have already printed 7.5 million forms, and are preparing the October mailing and internet data collection infrastructure. Cancelling the 2012 Economic Census now wastes $226 million already expended on preparatory activities.

Please share this information widely.

Thanks,
Mike