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1 [1] (December 22, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govebcd0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated December 22,2020 2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19 Introduction 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, aresponse 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 l was the official Census Day, early data collection began in remote ToksookBay, 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 if additional adjustments became necessary, thebureau would make themknown promptly. A subsequent press release, dated March 28, 2020 (CB20- RTQ.14), gave notice that field operations would not resume until April15. 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 Representatives 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, U.S. Code, Section 141 (b) and (c)). A May 4, 2020, press release (CB20-CN.44) and May 7 revised schedule announced a phased restart of certain 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 personalprotective equipment before operations restarted. A list of the first ACOs to reopen accompanied the release. The list was updated weekly through June9 as more offices were added. Dr. Dillingham, in an August 3, 2020, press release (CB20- RTQ.23), announced a revis ion 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. A pres s release dated October 13, 2020 (CB20-CN.119), stated that all2020 census datacollection operations would end not later than October 15, and the deadline held. This In Focus discusses the various major components of the bureau's 2020 cens us fieldwork, their original and adjus ted s chedules, and related is sues. The Original Operations Schedule and Revisions Field Office Operations Census Bureau managers and staff at 2020 cens us field offices conducted, the bureau stated, administrative, training, deployment, and support activities for the peak data collection phase ofthe census. Part ofthe preparations involved selecting andhiring field staff. The operations were to havebegun onMarch 1, 2020, but were postponed untilphasedreopening occurred, fromMay 4 to June 12. By October 1, the bureauhad stopped accepting new applications for 2020 census employment. The Initial Response Phase Invitations to answer the census were mailed to about95% of U.S. households fromMarch 12 to March 20, 2020. By August 12, the Census Bureau reported, 63.5% of households had answered; 50.8% had respondedonline. The bureau, before the pandemic, had strongly encouraged online responses as the fastest, easiest, most accurate way to complete the census, and continued citing these advantages, plus no associated risk of contracting COVID- 19. In addition, the bureau accepted paper questionnaires by mail and answers by telephone. The initialphase of the census, in which households were asked to respond without further prompting by thebureau, was to continue from March 12 to July 31. After schedule adjustments, this phase concluded on October 15. Remote Alaska The operation that began in Toks ook Bay on January 21, 2020, was to end on August 31 and was expected to be completed mostly on schedule, but, the bureau advised, some areas with year-round populations were to be enumerated when enumeration was safe to do. Update Enumerate During Update Enumerate, enumerators were 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 suspended until June 14, then was to continue until July 29. The bureau, to protect both census takers and respondents fromCOVID-19, directed that enumerators conduct interviews outside homes, at least six feet away from respondents. https://crsrepc

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