Full Count Act of 2018

Full Count Act of 2018

This bill requires the Department of Commerce, beginning with the 2030 decennial census, to take appropriate measures to ensure that all Americans residing abroad on the census date are fully and accurately counted, and are properly attributed to their respective states and appropriate units of local government.

Such measures shall include:

• use of the administrative records of a nongovernmental organization to enumerate members of such organization who are residing overseas as of the census date,
• completion of an international "Be Counted" form at a U.S. embassy by Americans residing overseas as of that date, and
• coordination and consultation with federal agencies to ensure that all appropriate databases involving Americans living overseas are referenced when compiling data for the census.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5303 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5303

To amend title 13, United States Code, to provide for the more accurate 
and complete enumeration of certain overseas Americans in the decennial 
                    census, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2018

   Mr. Bishop of Utah (for himself, Mrs. Love, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. 
   Curtis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 13, United States Code, to provide for the more accurate 
and complete enumeration of certain overseas Americans in the decennial 
                    census, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Full Count Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. METHODS TO IMPROVE THE ENUMERATION OF CERTAIN OVERSEAS 
              AMERICANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
    ``(g)(1) Effective beginning with the 2030 decennial census of 
population, the Secretary shall take appropriate measures to ensure, to 
the maximum extent practicable, that all Americans residing abroad on 
the decennial census date are fully and accurately counted, and are 
properly attributed to their respective States, and within the State so 
attributed, to the appropriate unit of local government.
    ``(2) The measures under this subsection shall include at least the 
following:
            ``(A) One or more methods by which, at the request of a 
        nongovernmental organization, administrative records of such 
        organization may, if such records satisfy such criteria as the 
        Secretary may establish, be used to enumerate members of such 
        organization who are residing overseas as of the decennial 
        census date.
            ``(B) One or more methods under which an international `Be 
        Counted' form may be completed at an embassy of the United 
        States by Americans residing overseas as of the decennial 
        census date.
            ``(C) Coordination and consultation with Federal agencies 
        to ensure that all appropriate databases involving Americans 
        living overseas are referenced when compiling data for the 
        decennial census. The head of any such agency shall provide the 
        Secretary assistance and data as described under this 
        subsection.
    ``(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to affect the 
methods used in the enumeration of any civilian or military personnel 
of the United States.''.
    (b) Clarification.--The data obtained pursuant to section 141(g) of 
title 13, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be used 
for the same purposes as other data and information collected under a 
decennial census of population, including the distribution of Federal 
funds and the apportionment of Representatives in Congress among the 
several States.
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