WASHINGTON   –  “Every ten years, the decennial U.S. Census enables every American to stand up and be counted.  Soon, in March, the Census forms will start showing up in mailboxes all over Missouri and the nation.  It is crucial for our state to get an accurate count this year, and that success depends on every citizen in Missouri.

One reason the stakes are so high is because the Census is followed by the congressional redistricting process, in which states stand to lose or gain representation in Congress.  Missouri is one state right on the cusp of losing a congressional seat, just when we need full representation for the Heartland more than ever.

Policies like cap-and-trade, immigration reform, health care and federal spending are extremely important in Missouri.  A full complement of members of Congress, representing the views of the people in our state, is essential to the tough tasks before us: namely, protecting Missouri consumers and Missouri employers from enormous increases in the costs of energy, keeping sweetheart deals for the name-brand pharmaceutical companies out of important health care legislation, and preventing future generations from the massive federal debts set to pile up in the coming years unless something is done to stop them.

Statewide, a margin of just a few thousand residents could be the difference between keeping a seat in Congress and a delegate to the Electoral College or losing those valuable commodities to someone else.

There is one more reason why a full and accurate count of Missourians is important to the national Census: many federal formulas for funding are based on state population.  Federal money for transportation, education and other infrastructure is often allocated proportionally among the states.  Over the course of ten years, until the next census, the counting of each student can mean thousands of dollars to a school district. 
The Census is pivotal to Missourians who want an honest return on the hard-earned tax dollars we send to Washington, D.C.  Without an accurate Census, the variance in funding must be made up by the tax base at the state and local levels – essentially taxing Missourians more to cover these programs while we subsidize federal assistance to the same programs in other states.

Over the next few months, there is certain to be a great deal of publicity surrounding the Census.  You can learn more on my website, www.house.gov/emerson, or by visiting the website for the U.S. Census, www.census.gov.

When your Census forms arrive in the mail, please remember how important this federal duty is to our quality of life in Missouri; fill the form out accurately and return it promptly.  Remember, this is an opportunity that only comes our way once every ten years, but the lasting effect of the Census can be a lifetime for a student, a worker, a veteran, or the beneficiary of a federal program.”