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National Hispanic
Caucus of State
Legislators Supports
a
Resolution on the
Inclusion of the
Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories in all
the Surveys
Performed in the
Fifty States by the
U.S. Census Bureau
WHEREAS, all media
outlets reported
that the U.S. Census
Bureau expected the
population of the
United States to
reach 300 million
people on October
17, 2006;
WHEREAS, the
residents of Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories are not
counted as part of
those 300 million
residents of the
United States;
WHEREAS, Puerto
Rico's exclusion
from national
population totals
leads the Census
Bureau to
erroneously
miscalculate the
national Hispanic
population total by
close to 4 million,
thereby minimizing
the importance of
Hispanics nationwide;
WHEREAS, the U.S.
Census Bureau
performs the
decennial census in
the Fifty States of
the United States
and its territories;
WHEREAS, data
obtained from the
decennial census
performed in Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories is not
subject to the same
detailed analyses as
the data obtained
from the Fifty
States and the
District of Columbia;
WHEREAS, the U.S.
Census Bureau
performs additional
intermediate surveys
to provide current
data on the total
population of the
fifty States and the
District of Columbia,
as authorized by
Federal Law, (See 13
U.S.C. §181);
WHEREAS, Federal Law
excludes Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories from the
intermediate surveys,
(See 13 U.S.C. §
184);
WHEREAS, the amount
of benefits Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories obtain
under federal laws
which consider
population
characteristics for
their grant is based
only on -probably
outdated- data from
the decennial census;
WHEREAS,
consideration of
outdated data could
under estimate -or
over estimate- the
need of federal
government
assistance;
WHEREAS, private
enterprises rely on
the data and
analyses provided by
the U.S. Census
Bureau to make
business decisions
regarding Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories;
WHEREAS, private
enterprises
interested in doing
business in Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories lack of
reliable current
population data,
such as the data the
Census Bureau
obtains in the
intermediate surveys,
makes them have to
incur in high
expenses to
commission a private
surveyor to obtain
said data;
WHEREAS, the need of
private enterprises
to expend a
significant amount
of money to
commission a private
surveyor, before
even setting a foot
in the territory,
acts as a deterrent
for private
enterprises to even
consider investing
or establishing
themselves in Puerto
Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands or
the other U.S.
territories.
WHEREAS, the
described facts act
in detriment of the
economy of the
territories and may
trigger the need of
additional federal
government
assistance;
BE IT THEREFORE
RESOLVED, that the
National Hispanic
Caucus of State
Legislators urges
the U.S. Census
Bureau to include
Puerto Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories in the
diverse analyses the
Census Bureau
conducts based on
data from the
decennial census,
which result in the
publication of
official reports;
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that the
National Hispanic
Caucus of State
Legislators, urges
the United States
Congress and the
President of the
United States to
amend Title 13,
Section 184, of the
U.S. Code to include
Puerto Rico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and
the other U.S.
territories in its
definition of State
for the performance
of intermediate
surveys. This
inclusion will
greatly help the
federal government
and the private
sector to have a
much more accurate
picture of the
population data
concerning all U.S.
Territories;
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that a
copy of this
resolution be
forwarded to the
President of the
United States, the
chairs and ranking
members of the
appropriate Senate
and House committees
with jurisdiction
over the operations
and appropriations
relating to the
Census Bureau, the
U.S. Secretary of
Commerce, and the
Director of the U.S.
Census Bureau; and
This resolution was
adopted this
November 18, 2006,
at the National
Hispanic Caucus of
State Legislators
Executive Committee
& BBA Annual Meeting
held in San Juan,
Puerto Rico.
Assemblyman Felix W.
Ortiz, NY
NHCSL President |
