Congressman Horsford Chairs Congressional Black Caucus Census 2020 Taskforce

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) today announced the creation of the Congressional Black Caucus' Census 2020 Taskforce to encourage participation and ensure a fair and accurate count of all people in the United States.

"The Constitution declares that we must count all persons in this country. The Trump administration has taken coordinated action specifically to discourage and frighten people away from participating in the 2020 census, and now we are fighting back," Congressman Horsford said.

In 2010, the African American census undercount was estimated to be roughly 800,000. The taskforce will work until and beyond the April 2020 census count to increase participation and lead the effort to guarantee the proper disbursement of funds at the federal, state and local levels.

In 2020, projections by the Urban Institute indicate that 1.7 million Black residents may be uncounted. A miscount could lead to the improper disbursement of more than $800 billion annually in federal dollars to communities, according to George Washington University's Institute of Public Policy, and adversely impact health care services, housing, schools, and economic development plans among other priorities.

The purpose of this Census 2020 Taskforce is to increase accurate counting of African American and other communities and to maximize participation through the following:

• Funding and Administration Oversight – Maximize census funding and ensure transparency over the Trump Administration and how it administers resources to Black communities and propose legislation to address census components that currently disadvantage African Americans
• Private Sector Engagement – Engage the philanthropic community to help close any funding gaps and ensure funds strategically flow into Black communities
• Public Engagement – Ensure that all 55 members of the Congressional Black Caucus are active participants in educating and engaging their constituents to participate come April's census count

The Census Taskforce will also ensure a fair distribution of Congressional seats. Nevada gained a congressional seat—for a total of four—after the 2010 census and could be in a position to gain a fifth following an accurate census count. Additionally, for every Nevadan who isn't counted in the census, the state could lose about $20,000 in federal funding.

"Today, the Black Caucus is launching the CBC Census 2020 taskforce that will be led by Congressman Horsford. Through his leadership, the taskforce will meet with African American leaders from around the country to discuss the current state of play and the tools needed for effective outreach to hard to count communities. This taskforce is being formed at a critical time. That is why the Black Caucus is leading the fight to ensure the Trump Administration fairly and accurately counts the millions of African Americans within this country who deserve clean neighborhoods and equal representation," said CBC Chairwoman Karen Bass.

"I am taking part in this taskforce for my constituents in Nevada. Undercounting urban communities like mine can result in an unfair distribution of congressional seats and deny communities of color, specifically Black communities, access to representation in Congress," Congressman Horsford said. "We only get one chance every ten years to get this right. Let's make it count."