Senate blocks census US-citizenship question
By ANDREW TAYLOR
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats have blocked a GOP attempt to
require next year's census forms to ask people whether they are a
U.S. citizen.
The proposal by Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter was aimed
at excluding immigrants from the population totals that are used to
figure the number of congressional representatives for each state.
Critics said Vitter's plan would discourage immigrants from
responding to the census and would be hugely expensive. They also
said that it's long been settled law that the apportionment of
congressional seats is determined by the number of people living in
each state, regardless of whether they are citizens. A separate
survey already collects the data.
The plan fell after a 60-39 procedural vote made it ineligible
for attachment to a bill funding the census.
11/05/09 12:52
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