(TruthandLiberty.com) – You may have noticed a lot of discussions about the 2020 Census. Who was going to be counted this time around and what that data would be used for has been a hot debate over the last year or so. That’s because this process is incredibly important.
Every 10 years, the federal government sets out to count every person in the United States. This process is called the Census and it’s mandated by Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution. The data collected serves some very critical purposes.
Congressional Representation
After every Census, collected data is used to determine how many representatives a state should have. If a particular area has grown significantly, it can gain seats in Congress. Florida and North Carolina are two states experts believe could get more representation in the US House after the government sifts through the data. On the other hand, if a state’s population shrinks, it can lose representatives. California could actually lose a seat this time around as many residents moved out of state seeking a more affordable cost of living.
States also use the population data to redraw congressional district lines. Who actually redraws the lines depends on state laws. Some allow their legislatures to do it, others have a bipartisan board to do it to try to prevent gerrymandering.
Federal Funding
Congressional seats aren’t all that’s awarded with the Census data; Federal funding is also divided among state and local governments using the information collected from the survey. Some of the money pays for programs like Medicaid, food stamps, Head Start, school lunches, block grants and many other critical social services.
Using the Data to Move Forward
Businesses also use the Census data’s population trends to decide where their money will be best spent. For instance, if they build a business in a certain area, are there enough people there to sustain the company’s growth? Is there a large enough employment pool to choose from?
Basically, the Census touches all of our lives. So, in 2030, when you receive the survey in the mail, make sure you fill it out and send it back. Your community is depending on you.
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