And 10 minutes long. Dillingham. Chairwoman maloney the committee will come to order. Good morning, everyone. Without objection the chair is authorized to declare recess of the committee any time. With that i will now recognize myself to give an opening statement. Good morning and thank you all for being here today. The 2020 census is now underway. Two weeks ago, the Census Bureau counted its first person in rural alaska. Next month, the counting will begin in earnest around our country. The constitution requires us to count every Single Person in the United States without exception. This census will be the largest and most complex in American History. And it is essential that the count is full, fair and free from any interference. Person ie United States without exception. This census will be the largest and most complex in American History and this is essential that the count is full, fair and free from any interference. This year census will have enormous consequences for our communities. The result will drive the distribution of more than 1. 5 trillion in federal funds. That is trillion with a t. These funds support Critical Services like childrens healthcare in local schools, roads, bridges. Unfortunately, the Administration Preparation for this census have been woefully inadequate. Whether to incompetence or intentional action, this administrations failures risk causing great harm to this years census and could jeopardize a complete and accurate count and these problems are now absolutely urgent. Today, the nonpartisan, Government Accountability office is publicly releasing a troubling new report that highlights serious concerns about preparations for the 2020 census. We will hear from gao in a moment but here are some of the most concerning findings. The Census Bureau and i quote, this is from gao. Significant risks, and faces, that can adversely affect the cost and quality, schedule and security of the council. The bureau is behind in its recruiting of applicants for upcoming operation. If the bureau does not recruit sufficient individuals, it may have difficulty hiring and of staff to complete its upcoming operations within the scheduled time frame. This is particularly troubling, this is a chart the gol gao has. This is where we should be in hiring on the redline. 2. 6 million. And where to point to and getting their. But all of this time, when they should have been up here, they were behind in the hiring. That will impact in a negative way, the outcome of the senses. Another quote. The bureau also continues to face significant cybersecurity challenges. Including those related to addressing cybersecurity weaknesses in a timely manner. The bureau has goals building towards his overall growth of 300,000 Community Partners by march of 2020. Many people tell me, at the bureau, gao end everywhere, that one of the most important things is having these partnerships with the community because they know the community. They know where the people are, they can help get the counts accurate if possible. Today, a stark warning from gao reflects concerns that this committee has been raising for the past several years. Increasing urgency, last month we held a hearing and witnesses after witnesses, raise dire warnings about the administrations failures to adequately prepare for the 2020 census. For example, market, the president and ceo of the National Urban league he testified that the Census Bureau should be treating this as a state of an emergency. And he warned that hiring was far behind schedule. And it is time to ring the bell. And that the risk of the nation and the risk for communities is great. The president ceo of the Leadership Conference of civil and civil rights just for that another cat would have a broad applications for having teachers to students there are in a School District healthcare hospitals, roads infrastructure and she also warns, stakeholders urgently need more information in a deployment plan. Vargas, the ceo, Education Fund warns that the Trump Administration citizen ship russian debacle continues to foster fear and doubt. And this is made worse by a hostile environment towards immigrants. John yang, the president ceo of Asian Americans advancing justice, testified that the Census Bureaus language report program has several gaps that need to be overcome and the hiring efforts have been slow and inconsistently inclusive of underserved communities. Today will we hear directly from the director and have a lot of tough questions for him. There are brave challenges facing us this year census and to be honest, i dont have cup full confidence that this administration is equipped to handle them. We are committed to doing everything we can to highlight these challenges where we see them and work with our dedicated colleagues of the Census Bureau and gao, and collaborate with our partners across the country to deliver a fair and accurate count. Our constitution requires it, our communities rely on it, and her democracy depends on it. I want to thank all of the witnesses and particularly the director for being with us today. I look forward to all of your testimony. I now recognize our distinguished Ranking Member, mr. Jordan for an opening statement. Thank you for convening this timely and important hearing. I want to finger witnesses. And particularly director Steven Dillingham for taking time out of his busy schedule. This is one of the most important matters within our Committee Jurisdiction and is mandated by the constitution every ten years and has been conducted every decade since 1790. The Data Collected sees of house of representatives and distributed more than 600 billion annually. These numbers also serve as a foundation for estimates of Current Population and for projections future populations for these reasons. Its obviously informed that the senses is accurate and complete. The democrats have largely ignored this response abilities to receipt preparations for the 2020 preparations. Instead, focusing on the citizen ship question effort to score political points. After all this time is to not do not understand why. This question is been our senses before, and despite several nations around the world and its a question that even the United Nations encourages countries to aspirated the democrats basically argued that the question was designed to scare immigrants and racial communities in an effort to undergo this populations. That is civilly not correct. The Census Bureau conducted a test in the summer of 2019, the operational effects of self response of including a Citizenship Question. Study found that there were no differences in self Response Rates between forms with and forms without the Citizenship Question. Imagine that. Let me say that again, no difference in self Response Rates between forms with and without the Citizenship Question. In july 2019 following a Supreme Court decision, the trump court removed it. And the democrats want you to believe that the administered to the section because of the citizen ship russian was fundamentally appropriate. But in fact, the Supreme Court held that the Trump Administration had the authority to add this to the senses so the administrative law. So third hearing, the democrats have called to talk about the senses taking control of the house and prior to that, they held nine hearings dating back to 2015 to examine challenges by the 2020 senses. What now in the midst of a peak operation for this. March 12, 1 month from today people will begin completing and returning there census questionnaires. This is a time when they must be fully operational, and it lies with director Steven Dillingham and certainly no small tax. They need to hire 500,000 people nationwide as numerators to conduct nonresponse operations followup. Teresa number, the hiring target, the Census Bureau is conducting a nationwide recruiting campaign to generate interest in the temporary work with the goal of recruiting 2. 6 million interesting or interested candidates by march 2020. I look forward to hearing how those efforts are going. It is imperative that we were to avoid whistle spending in this process. Plasma the gao reported that the Census Bureau had managed criteria for level cost estimate, the first time the Census Bureau has ever met that gao metrics for reliable cost estimate. We are eager to get an update from the our geo updates. But the Cost Effectiveness about the operation. The help today we can do away with the partisan and act together and make sure the censuses complete and accurate. Thank you and i look forward to testimony today. Without i yelled back. I would like to welcome our witnesses. The honorable director Steven Dillingham, mr. Christopher, managing to write director of Strategic Issues a, cybersecuriy manager the Government Accountability office, mr. Albert e is the associate director of the Census Program that the United StatesCensus Bureau and he would always your right hand, begin by soaring un. Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god. Okay let the record show that all of the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank you and please be seated. The microphones are sensitive so please speak directly into them and without objection, your written statements will be made part of the record. With that, director Steven Dillingham, thank you so much for coming and you are now recognize reopening statement. Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to testify in the 2020 senses progress. The census has been planned for the past decade and we are confident the real mission and on budget and on target. On the chairwoman just stated, 20 senses began a few weeks ago in remote alaska in the village of beit. We start early in remote alaska where conditions are severe, the nice along before the snow and ice begin to thaw, the village is accessible only by a small plane, weather permitting. In anchorage, we met with congressional state leaders, committees and partners from public and private and nonprofit groups. We attended a Church Service in a Diverse Community where father fred had blessing for a safe journey and a successful senses. The next up was a small snowcovered village, where locals offered us native winter here. When the weather broke week left a small planes with skilled private pilots pretty moved only flight to reach the day that day. We were greeted by the village elder. I was whisked off on a snowmobile. As a census worker, i cannot discuss the person data predict the persons answers were translated. Upon completion the person looked into my face, with a warm smile and gleaming eyes, affecting generations of wisdom, saying two words. Thank you. I was honored to conduct the account in the prison was honored to be counted, the census is personal and built on trust. That is how the 2020 senses begin. As i departed, stopped at the school gym where villagers gathered. His children were wearing traditional closed performing native dance pretty excitement was high in the bleachers were feel. Native food abundant. The village was celebrating the 2020 senses. To conduct a successful count, it takes a village. A town, or at middlebury vermont, city, like new york city or detroit. An accounting like in florida or Lorain County ohio, and the most populous county of los angeles. The success of this will be repeated across america. Recruiting and hiring are on target, partnerships are unprecedented in innovations and efficiencies saved tens of millions of dollars in new options enable people to complete the senses anytime and anywhere. The Government Accountability office and Inspector General have reviewed our progress. The 2020 senses is positioned for success. It will take trust and engagement in the bureau has response ability for Data Collection and reporting. But the senses does not belong to an agency, or to the federal government. It belongs to everyone and always has. It is a national asset. Engagement is increasing. We have statewide commissions coordinating efforts. We have an army of partners to bring forth in the corner of million actually this morning, more than 230,000 and climbing fast. These partners have been employees and members of followers numbering in the tens of millions. This is the largest civilian mobilization since world war ii. Due to the number of census workers, and the enormous Public Engagement that happens during these senses. We have twice as many partners as before and we think this congress for augmenting that with thousands of mobile assistance to better reach slow response areas. Complete count committees exceed 10000. Averaging more than 200 for state and dozens for Congressional District and Business Partners range from small to the largest of many thousands of employees credit agencies and federal state and local levels. These partners range from single churches to entire denominations. Education from single schools, to School Districts, colleges from small to the Largest University system. With hundreds of thousands of students faculty and staff millions of alumni. We have more than 6000 Higher Education partners in the list grows. We want every school and every business as a partner. Universal bipartisan support brings a nation together for this civic purpose pretty governors and local leaders have issued bipartisan proclamation support as did the u. S. Senate. Nearly all members of congress are partners in your help matters. We need leaders and trusted voices. We must Work Together and foster public trust and we must roll up your sleeves to maximize engagement and are senses professionals are confident, and excited and ready. All systems are go. The countdown is now in the National Launch begins in one month. Thank you for your oversight leadership and strong support and i think we have a couple of short ads from her National Media campaigns that emphasize how easy and safe and important the censuses. Our ads will reach 99 percent plus of all households repeatedly. After sending your senses response, your personal information is kept safe. By law, it cant be shared with any other government agency, law enforcement, or anywhere else. So ticket 2020 senses with peace of mind. Shape your future. Start here. Visit 2020 census. Gov. It isnt complicated. My aunt and uncle did this. My new baby sister, she counts. Complete the census online or on the phone or by mail. Start here at 2020 census. Gov. We dont have a prepared statement from the associate director. Chairwoman, members of the committee, it is a great pleasure to be here today to discuss our work, on the senses. Im joined by my colleague, nick and we are honored to appear before this committee. We are also delighted many of our colleagues from gao this level and dedicated work to support the committees oversight over number of years are able to join us this morning. It has been mentioned a number of times on the censuses already begun with enumeration in remote areas of alaska and were a away from the first mailings going out to individuals that they can start responding via internet. As you know we had the senses to our highrisk list in february of 22017. For the past decade, we made hundred and 12 recommendations from the senses and most of which have been addressed by the bureau and some of which remain open for the information that nick and i will present today, is based on a report being issued today and 2020 census underway. Readiness for upcoming operations. Each member of the committee has a copy of that report. Nipple cover it systems and cybersecurity. Inventive interest of time, i will hit three quick points that were covered in the report. First of the bureau completed early operations on schedule. Last october, the bureau completed infield address canvassing operation or temporary field staff verified and updated over 50 million addresses across the country, and managed target date for opening questioner assistance Contact Centers basically call centers with public and call to ask questions or provide the senses. It is launches advertising command you just saw two examples of that. To sprint and social Media Television to