National Faith Leader Condemns Stopping the Census Count Early

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug 3, 2020​

MEDIA CONTACT

Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202) 735-7123

Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, (540) 280-3393

National Faith Leader Condemns Stopping the Census Count Early

Washington, D.C. — NPR reports that the Census Bureau will end the Census count a month earlier than planned this year, despite concerns that the constitutionally mandated full count of people in this nation will not yet be completed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rev. Jennifer Butler, CEO of Faith in Public Life:

“Completing the 2020 Census is a moral and constitutional duty. Quitting this work before the count is completed is wrong. An incomplete Census would not affect all Americans equally. It would cause Black, Latino, Native, Asian, immigrant, poor and rural communities to be substantially undercounted, denying them federal funding for critical needs and equal political representation. All of our faith traditions uphold the dignity and value of every human being. Everyone counts to God. Everyone must be counted by our government.”

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Faith in Public Life is a national movement of clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice, equality and the common good. Together, we are leading the fight to advance just policies at the state and federal level. Our network of 50,000 leaders engage in bold moral action that affirms our values and the human dignity of all.