Save the Census! - April 5, 2013

This blog post by the Director of Research and Planning, Twin Cities (MN) United Way, highlights important uses of ACS data in their daily work.

Cutting the Census; Impairing Our Democracy

This blog post by Wilder Research Executive Director Paul Mattessich, describes the consequences of the May 2012 U.S. House of Representatives vote to eliminate funding for the American Community Survey, and significantly reduce the Census Bureau's overall budget, for sound research and decision-making. Minnesota-based Wilder Research is part of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit health and human service organization that assists thousands of people each year through direct service programs, research, leadership and community capacity building. Wilder's Minnesota Compass project tracks and analyzes trends that affect the quality of life in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region - important work that wouldn't be possible without objective, reliable and comprehensive data.

Webinar on ACS - January 30, 2013

The Association of Public Data Users (APDU) held a webinar on private sector uses of the American Community Survey (ACS). Census Project Co-Director Terri Ann Lowenthal gave an update on the status of ACS funding and oversight in Congress. Her remarks are available on APDU's website.

Testimony on ACS - July 18, 2012

Senate Testimony of Dr. Andrew Reamer on ACS. On July 18, 2012 Dr. Reamer testified before a subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. In his testimony, Dr. Reamer focused on the American Community Survey.

Fact Sheet on ACS

Fact Sheet on ACS. The Census Project has prepared a one-page fact sheet detailing what the elimination of the American Community Survey will mean to communities throughout the country. Please feel free to circulate the fact sheet to friends, allies and colleagues.

Elimination of America's Playbook

Scores of Case Studies and Comments from Census Project Stakeholders and Allies on how the American Community Survey is used to their goals and improve their communities.

Evolution of American Community Survey Questions

A description of how the questions on first the long form decennial census and then the American Community Survey have changed and evolved beginning with the first decennial census. By the acclaimed Census historian Margo Anderson.

George Washington University Institute of Public Policy American Community Survey: Uses and Users

A brief description of both the myriad ways in which the American Community Survey is used and the many groups, individuals, and levels of government that use the survey. It includes many links to outside sources and further information about just how vital and useful the ACS is.

Audio and Visual Webinar on the Applications of the American Community Survey for Reporters

On April 10, 2012, The Census Project coordinated a 50-minute audio and visual webinar for media covering census issues and data base reporters on how to use the information from the American Community Survey for local/state reporting. This call featured:

• Terri Ann Lowenthal, former staff director, U.S. House of Representatives Census Subcommittee
• D'Vera Cohn, Senior Writer, Pew Research Center
• Mary Jo Hoeksema, Public Affairs Specialist, Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers

[MP3, 51m 27s, 6.2 MB] [PDF, 2.3 MB]

Audio: Press Briefing on Possible Legislation on American Community Survey

A March 22, 2012, audio press briefing to explain possible changes making the American Community Survey voluntary instead of mandatory. This call featured:

• Terri Ann Lowenthal, former staff director, U.S. House of Representatives Census Subcommittee
• Ken Hodges, Nielsen Research
• Terry Ao Minnis, representing the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Earlier, the Census Project sent a letter to congressional policymakers opposing the legislation.

[MP3, 35m 39s, 4.3 MB]

Members of Congress' Letter to Committee Chair Opposing Voluntary ACS Bill

A March 13, 2012, letter signed by more than a dozen members of Congress urging Darrell Issa, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to oppose a bill making the ACS voluntary.

House Panel holds hearing on making American Community Survey voluntary

A report on the March 6 hearing by Steve Pierson of the American Statistical Association

Congressional Testimony on ACS

Testimony given on March 6, 2012 before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives

The Honorable Robert M. Groves, Director of the U.S. Census Bureau

Patrick Jankowski, Vice President, Research, Greater Houston Partnership

Andrew G. Biggs, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Stakeholder Letter Opposing a Voluntary ACS

A March 5, 2012, letter from Census Project stakeholders, urging House census subcommittee leadership to reject a measure that would make the ACS voluntary rather than mandatory.

American Community Survey Program Review Briefing

A brief presentation giving background information on the program review process for the ACS; by the U.S. Census Bureau, March 6, 2012. [.pptx]

Census Bureau Video Shows How Business Uses the American Community Survey

The Target Corporation has 300,000 workers in 49 states. A short video produced by he U.S. Census Bureau, featuring officials of Target, details how the company uses ACS data for marketing its products everyday.

Introduction to the American Community Survey

A detailed background paper on the ACS by the Census Bureau, including information about the ACS' history, goals, data and uses. Dec. 31, 2011. [.pdf]

Enhancing the American Community Survey: Congress and the ACS

In late September 2011, Mary Jo Hoeksema, director of government affairs at the Population Association of America and a co-director of the Census Project, gave a presentation on the legislative history of the American Community Survey (ACS) and the challenges that lie ahead in Congress in order to assure that the ACS has adequate resources to meet its mission.