FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Patricia Woodward
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2000 202-482-4883
Karen Cowles
202-482-1523
CB00-CN.62
Commerce Secretary Sends Veto Message on Legislation to Change
Census Confidentiality Law
Last night, Commerce Secretary Norman Y. Mineta sent a letter to Members
of Congress expressing "strong opposition to any attempt to force the
disclosure of personal census information currently protected by the
confidentiality provisions of Title 13." Secretary Mineta further writes:
"The adoption of these changes with no public debate runs the very serious
risk of undermining the public's confidence in the privacy of census
information."
The language may be attached to any one of a number of last-minute,
must-pass bills which the Congress will consider as early as today. The
amendment would allow an arm of Congress, the Congressional Budget Office
(CBO) to acquire confidential census data collected in monthly surveys,
including the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income and
Program Participation.
"I will recommend a Presidential veto of the legislation." Mineta wrote
in his letter to Congress.
U.S. Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt has publicly expressed his
opposition to the CBO legislation, saying that no amendment to Title 13
should be considered by the Congress without public discussion,
congressional testimony and a deliberative process which fully debates the
consequences of such a change.
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