The year 2020 has tested our patience, faith and strength. It’s been a year filled with many challenges. But despite all the extraordinary circumstances happening around the world, we have succeeded through the tenacity and creativity of the women and men who work at this extraordinary agency.
Simply maintaining operations could be considered an accomplishment during these times as we navigated unfamiliar waters. In light of the necessary actions to protect the health and safety of our families and communities, some may have expected us to miss a step.
We did not. We not only maintained our operations, but we adapted and advanced our mission. Working in new circumstances for many, and facing unforeseen obstacles, we displayed the agility necessary for any organization to thrive in the face of change.
This spectacular work was not limited to the once-a-decade census for which the U.S. Census Bureau is best known, but also to our other critical surveys and censuses. Every way we did business had to adapt to keep our data products flowing, and to create the new ones, all of which policymakers across government, the private sector, and the public at large rely on to make the decisions that affect all our lives.
I want to thank each member of the Census Bureau community for the work done to help support our mission. This includes our amazing headquarters workforce in Suitland, Md., and at our six regional offices and regional census centers; our tireless workforce at our processing centers in Jeffersonville, Ind., and Phoenix, Ariz.; our committed permanent field representative workforce; and the more than 500,000 individuals who at one point joined our temporary workforce to help get an accurate 2020 Census count.
We could fill pages with our accomplishments, but I would like to highlight some of significant importance as we review the year.
These extraordinary accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without the outstanding, diligent and ongoing determination of all the Census Bureau staff working across our vast country as well as at headquarters. While we’ve been apart, we’ve grown — together. I am in awe of your service and contributions to the Census Bureau, to our country, and to each other. Thank you for all your hard work this year and every year. With our long-running focus on research and innovation, we will continue to provide quality data about America’s people, places and economy. And all thanks to you.