112 HR 931 IH: To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions.
Introduced March 3, 2011
The United States government has conducted a census of its population since 1790. The government’s power to do so comes from Article 1, Section 2(3) of the Constitution. In 1992, the House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee asked the Census Bureau to create the American Community Survey to give Congress annual demographics. Federal law views the American Community Survey as part of the census, and individuals who do not fill out the form have been faced with up to a $5,000 fine. The American Community Survey has been sent to a select number of homes every year since. H.R. 931 would allow families the option of ignoring invasive questions without facing a fine.