megimoo
03-06-2009, 11:36 AM
Census plan gets counted out
The Obama administration has scrapped plans to have the Census Bureau director report directly to the White House, assuaging the concerns of lawmakers. Commerce Secretary nominee Gary Locke met with key senators Wednesday to reassure them that the 2010 census would be managed by the Commerce Department, and not the White House. (Snip) Congress has oversight over the census even though the executive branch conducts it.
snip
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, called for a House investigation. Many in the GOP feared White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel — who led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the 2006 cycle — would be heavily involved in managing the census.
A Hutchison aide said the Texas senator was most concerned about oversight of the census and welcomed Locke’s comments. Hutchison emphasized that by law, Congress has oversight over the census even though the executive branch conducts it.
It appears that now that a Democrat will lead the Commerce Department, concern over the census has dissipated.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs recently said the administration had not shifted its position.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/census-plan-gets-counted-out-2009-03-04.html
The Obama administration has scrapped plans to have the Census Bureau director report directly to the White House, assuaging the concerns of lawmakers. Commerce Secretary nominee Gary Locke met with key senators Wednesday to reassure them that the 2010 census would be managed by the Commerce Department, and not the White House. (Snip) Congress has oversight over the census even though the executive branch conducts it.
snip
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, called for a House investigation. Many in the GOP feared White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel — who led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the 2006 cycle — would be heavily involved in managing the census.
A Hutchison aide said the Texas senator was most concerned about oversight of the census and welcomed Locke’s comments. Hutchison emphasized that by law, Congress has oversight over the census even though the executive branch conducts it.
It appears that now that a Democrat will lead the Commerce Department, concern over the census has dissipated.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs recently said the administration had not shifted its position.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/census-plan-gets-counted-out-2009-03-04.html