Republican Lawmakers Battle for Citizenship Question on Census

Two Republican senators, David Vitter of Louisiana and Bob Bennett of Utah, have offered an amendment that would bar any funds from being used for the Census if it doesn’t ask about a person’s citizenship status. A similar measure has been introduced in the House. If successful, the change would costs millions as it would force the Census Bureau to reprint more than 425 million questionnaires, as it had already started printing the forms in order to have them ready for distribution in early 2010. It would require software revisions, new training materials and revised promotional campaigns. And it could fuel a boycott of the Census supported by some Latino leaders as a way to protest U.S. immigration policy. For the full story, click here.

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