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1 1 (August 17, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdbjw0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated August 17,2020 2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19 In a March 18, 2020, press release (CB20-RTQ.08), U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham announced that the bureau was suspending all 2020 decennial census field operations until April 1. This action, a response to the novel coronavirus disease first observed in 2019 (COVID-19) and designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, came at a critical time for the census. Although April 1 was the official Census Day, early data collection began in remote Toks ook Bay, Alaska, on January 21. Other tightly timed field operations were underway or imminent, including the bureau's personal outreach to hard-to-count areas and groups. Dr. Dillingham stated on March 18 that ifadditional adjustments became necessary, the bureau would make themknown promptly. A subsequent press release, dated March 28,2020 (CB20- RTQ. 14), gave notice that field operations would not resume until April 15. An April 13, 2020, press release fromSecretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Dr. Dillingham (CB20- RTQ. 16), with a new operations schedule, indicated the bureau's need to delay release of the 2020 state census counts for apportioning seats in the U.S. House of Repres entatives and the data for within-state redistricting past the respective December 31,2020, and March 31, 2021, legal deadlines for these products (see Title 13, US. Code, Section 141 (b) and (c)). A May 4, 2020, press release (CB20-CN.44) and May 7 revised schedule announced a phasedrestart ofcertain 2020 census field operations, to begin immediately in selected areas in coordination with federal, state, andlocal health officials. The bureau noted that field and Area Census Office (ACO) staff would receive training in safety measures to avoid contracting or transmitting COVID- 19. Staff also were to receive personal protective equipment before operations restarted. A list of the first ACOs to reopen accompaniedthe release. The list was updated weekly through June 9 as more offices were added. Dr. Dillingham, in an August 3,2020, press release (CB20- RTQ.23), announced a revision of the earlier plan to delay releasing the apportionment numbers past December 31. The latest plan, the announcement s tated, was to meet the deadline, as required by law and directed by the Secretary of Commerce. The operations schedule was revised accordingly. It noted that OMB recently submitted a $1 billion supplemental request for the 2020 census, for more hiring, pay incentives, additional outreach and advertising, and replenished contingency funding to provide needed flexibility as the bureau conducts its largest field operation, Nonresponse Follow-Up (NRFU), covered below. This In Focus discusses the various major components of the bureau's 2020 census fieldwork, their original and latest schedules, and relevant legislation. Census Bureau managers and s taff at 2020 census field offices are conducting, the bureau stated, administrative, training, deployment, and support activities for the peak data collection phaseofthe census. Part ofthe preparations involves selecting and hiring field staff. The operations were to havebegun onMarch 1,2020, but were postponed until phased reopening occurred, fromMay 4 to June 12. The bureau, its 2020 census recruitment site (2020census.gov/jobs) indicates, still wants applicants for temporary,part-tine census work, especially in certain counties identified on the site. Invitations to answer the census were mailed to about 95% of U.S. households fromMarch 12to March 20,2020. By August 12, the Census Bureau reported, 63.5% of households had answered; 50.8% had respondedonline. The bureau, before thepandemic, had strongly encouraged online responses as the fastest, easiest, most accurate way to complete the census, and lately is promoting the internet for these advantages, plus no associated riskof contracting COVID- 19. In addition, the bureau is accepting completed paper questionnaires by mail and answers by telephone. The initial phaseofthe census, in which households are asked to respond without further prompting bythe bureau, was to continue fromMarch 12to July 31. The adjusted schedule shows this phase concluding on September 30. The operation that began in Toks ook Bay on January 21, 2020, is to end on August 31 and is expected to be completed mostly on schedule, but, the bureau advised, some areas with year-roundpopulations willbe enumerated when enumeration is safe to do. During Update Enumerate, enumerators are to update the addresses of, and interview in person, about 2,000 households in remote areas of northern Maine and southeast Alaska. The operation began onMarch 16,2020, and was to end on April 30. It was suspendeduntil June 14, then was to continue until July 29. The bureau, to protectboth census A A '2 k y\

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