Senators Seek Clarification on Proposal of Citizenship Question

On Tuesday, July 24, 2018, U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called for Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to come before Congress to clarify his comments on the proposal of a citizenship question for the upcoming 2020 Census. In testimony before Congress, Secretary Ross asserted that the citizenship question originated at the Department of Justice, but an NPR report and recently published e-mails raise new questions about the veracity of that claim.

“In light of these newly released e-mails, Secretary Ross must come before Congress to clarify the testimony he gave under oath,” the senators said. “Who initiated the request for the citizenship question and why? The American people deserve to know the truth.”

The senators’ comments come after 17 U.S. Senators wrote to Secretary Ross earlier this month asking for details about the origins of the question. Secretary Ross has not yet responded to the senators’ letter. Sen. Schatz is also leading a bicameral group of more than 120 current and former members of Congress on four amicus briefs to support lawsuits filed across the country to stop the addition of the citizenship question.