The Battalion
fiMPCIS
Tuesday • June Z,
i,
President plans trip to Houston
WASHINGTON (AP) — Wading into a
high-stakes political battle over how the 2000
Census will be conducted. President Clinton
travels to Houston on Tuesday to make the
case for a new method of counting the na
tion's population.
At first blush, the once-a-decade head
count might not seem a front-burner politi
cal issue.
But the census is of keen importance be
cause states receive their share of $180 billion
or so annually in federal money for every
thing from Medicaid to highways on the ba
sis of official population estimates.
And, more importantly for political strate
gists, the census determines the number of
House seats per state — and ultimately either
could help swing control of the House back to
Democrats or further cement the GOP's hold.
By the Census Bureau's own estimate, the
1990 Census missed 4 million people and
proved notoriously bad at counting minori
ties and the inner-city poor. Five percent of
all Hispanics and blacks were missed last
time, compared to less than one percent of
non-Hispanic whites.
In Texas, nearly half a million people were
missed. That undercount is depriving the
state of hundreds of millions of federal dol
lars, state officials estimate.
The selection of Houston for the presi
dential showcase was not accidental. Nearly
67,000 people in the city were missed in the
1990 count.
i Clinton, who will take part in a round
table discussion at a community center, will
talk about "why it's so important to have an
Accurate census," White House communica
tions director Ann Lewis said.
- While in Texas, Clinton also will raise
money for the Democratic National Com
mittee and congressional campaigns at fund
raisers in Houston and Dallas.
. The administration is pushing a census
using what Lewis calls "the most up-to-date
scientific methods."
The Census Bureau wants to count 90 per
cent of households the traditional way—with
mail-in questionnaires and in-person visits —
and then use statistical sampling techniques
The Greys
to estimate those who were missed. Without
sampling. Census officials suggest the count
could be even less accurate than it was in 1990.
But their plan has run into a buzz saw on
Capitol Hill, where Republicans are leery of
anything other than the actual enumeration
called for in the Constitution. Sampling is of
dubious scientific merit, they say, citing a
botched sampling test attempted and jetti
soned during 1990 Census calculations.
GOP lawmakers fear that a sampling
adjustment — ora deliberate manipulation
of the numbers — could result in higher
counts in inner-city areas and other tradi
tionally Democratic strongholds, possibly
costing them seats. House Republicans
have filed suit in federal court to block any
use of sampling.
"The partisan calculations of political sci
ence are driving the Clinton administration's
census sampling scheme," said Rep. Dan
Miller, the Florida Republican who chairs the
House census subcommittee.
"Rather than committing himself to do
the hard work necessary to end the minority
undercount, the president is out peddling
statistical snake oil to the public that will add
millions of 'virtual people' in some areas
while subtracting millions of real people
from other areas," Miller added.
Administration officials defend sam
pling as a sound science and deny any
political intent in advocating the Census
Bureau's proposal.
"This is not the administration plan. This
is the plan of the National Academy of Sci
ences and the statistical experts of the Cen
sus Bureau," said Commerce Undersecretary
Robert Shapiro, whose department is the
Census Bureau's parent.
Manipulation of the numbers would be
possible only with "widespread corruption
and conspiracy across the country of profes
sional Census Bureau officials," Shapiro said.
"You can't do that."
But, says Miller spokeswoman Liz Hick
ey: "Even if there wasn't political manipula
tion, it's just such a risky scheme that we
don't trust that the government is going to
be able to pull this off."
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front of the Koldus building.
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Monday, June 8
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting to promote the Italy Spring
'99 Program at 10 a.m. in 154 and
161 Bizzell Hall West.
Tuesday, June 9
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 3 p.m. in 154 and 161
Bizzell Hall West to promote the
Italy Spring '99 Program.
Thursday, June 11
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 5:30 p.m. in 154, 161
Bizzell Hall West to promote the
Italy Spring '99 Program.
Monday, June 15
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 9 a.m. in 154,161 Bizzell
Hall West to promote the Italy
Spring '99 Program.
Wednesday, June 17
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 5:30 p.m. in 154, 161
Bizzell Hall West to promote the
Italy Spring '99 Program.
Thursday, June 18
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 1 p.m. in 154, 161 Bizzell
Hall West to promote the Italy
Spring '99 Program.
Monday, June 22
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
meeting at 5:30 p.m. in 154, 161
Bizzell Hall West to promote the
Italy Spring '99 Program.
Wednesday, June 24
Study Abroad Programs Office:
There will be an informational
back,!
meeting at 10 a.m. in 154,
Biz/rll Mall West to promote:p erso L
Italy Spring, ' uu Program. can
your i
Friday, June 26
Study Abroad Programs Ofiil
There will be an informal
meeting at 11 a.m. in 154,161 Bia
Hall West to promote the
Spring '99 Program.
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