LOS ANGELES, CA – The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) issued the following statement regarding today’s announcement of a Republican Task Force on the Census:

“The National Association of Latino Elected Officials looks forward to working with the Republican Task Force on the Census to ensure the most accurate possible count of the nation’s population.

“Achieving a Census that counts all Americans will not be possible without the necessary funding, the right personnel, and a Secretary of Commerce who shares that vision.   We applaud the Obama Administration for making a full and fair 2010 Census a priority, and we welcome the Republican Task Force to the bipartisan conversation on this vital issue. 

“As part of that process, NALEO will be closely monitoring the confirmation process to learn more about Secretary-Designate Judd Gregg’s views on the Census.

“A full decennial count of America’s population is essential to the nation’s well-being and prosperity.  Census data are the fundamental building blocks for reapportionment and redistricting, which determine the contours of our representative democracy.  Policymakers and planners at all levels of government rely on these data to make important decisions about their services, such as the number of teachers that will be needed in their classrooms, the best places to build new roads or the best way to provide job training. 

“The accuracy of Census data is also critical for the effective allocation of government funding for schools, hospitals and other vital social programs.  These decisions affect the lives of all Americans.

“With the 2010 Census less than a year and a half away, it is essential that the Census Bureau move forward quickly and effectively with its planning, enumeration and outreach activities.”