Introduction
As a Department of Commerce agency, the Census Bureau is funded through Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bills. This In Focus provides an overview of the U.S. Census Bureau's FY2025 budget request; certain comparisons to FY2024 enacted amounts and FY2023 actual amounts; and information about congressional action to date on the Census Bureau's FY2025 budget. Information presented is drawn from the Census Bureau's FY2025 Congressional Budget Justification and relevant congressional documents.
The FY2025 request is divided between the bureau's two major accounts: Current Surveys and Programs, and Periodic Censuses and Programs. This product provides comparisons with FY2024 enacted amounts for these two major Census Bureau accounts, and more detailed comparisons with actual FY2023 amounts for specific Census Bureau programs. Detailed actual FY2024 amounts for these programs are not yet publicly available. The FY2025 Congressional Budget Justification was finalized prior to final enacted FY2024 appropriations.
| Figure 1 . Census Budget |
Figure is interactive in the HTML version of this In Focus.
Source: Data from FY2025 Congressional Budget Justification, U.S. Census Bureau.
FY2025 Budget Request
The Biden Administration's FY2025 budget request for the Census Bureau is $1.578 billion, which is a $195 million increase from the FY2024 enacted level of $1.383 billion and a $93 million increase from the FY2023 actual level of $1.485 billion.
Current Surveys and Programs
The Administration requests $367 million for the Current Surveys and Programs account in FY2025, an increase of about $39 million from the FY2024 enacted amount of $330 million. This account includes Current Economic Statistics and Current Demographic Statistics.
Current Economic Statistics
Current Economic Statistics include business, construction, manufacturing, general economic, foreign trade, and government statistics. According to the FY2025 budget justification for the Census Bureau, "the data provided are critical to understanding the structure and function of the Nation's economy." For example, this includes the Puerto Rico Economic Program and the Business Statistics programs.
The FY2025 request for Current Economic Statistics is $237 million, which is a $16 million increase from the FY2023 actual amount of $221 million.
Current Demographic Statistics
Current Demographic Statistics includes the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP); the Current Population Survey (CPS), which is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau; and the Population Estimates Program. The SIPP is an ongoing survey that measures distribution of government assistance programs. The CPS provides estimates of income, poverty, and other indicators. The Population Estimates Program calculates population change over time. The Census Bureau's population estimates are used in a variety of federal programs to determine funding allocations or eligibility.
The FY2025 request for Current Demographic Statistics is $131 million, which is a $21 million increase from the FY2023 actual amount of $109 million.
Periodic Censuses and Programs
The Administration requests $1.210 billion for the Periodic Censuses and Programs account in FY2025, a $156 million increase from the FY2024 enacted amount of $1.054 billion. This account consists of several programs discussed below.
Decennial Census
The FY2025 request for the 2030 decennial census is $399 million. The 2020 census and the 2030 census had a combined $392 million actual level for FY2023. FY2025 funding for the decennial census in part supports preparation for two upcoming major field tests, scheduled to be conducted in 2026 and 2028.
American Community Survey
The FY2025 request for the American Community Survey (ACS) is $256 million, an increase of $5 million from the FY2023 actual level of $251 million. The ongoing collection of ACS data allows the Census Bureau to measure the changing demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics of the U.S. population.
Economic Census
The FY2025 request for the Economic Census is $158 million, which is a $9 million decrease from the FY2023 actual level of $167 million. The Economic Census, conducted every five years, collects statistics on businesses in the United States to help understand the American economy.
Census of Governments
The FY2025 request for the Census of Governments is $15 million, which is about a $3 million decrease from the FY2023 actual level of $17 million. The Census of Governments collects statistics on state and local governments across the United States.
Geographic Support Program
The purpose of the Census Bureau's Geographic Support Program (GSP) is to support and maintain the geospatial infrastructure required to conduct survey data collection, processing, tabulation, and dissemination across covered regions. The Census Bureau considers the GSP to be foundational for all of its social and economic data products. Congressional district wall maps are produced by the GSP.
The FY2025 request for the GSP is $114 million, which is a $2 million increase from the FY2023 actual level of $112 million.
Enterprise Data Collection and Dissemination Systems (EDCaDS)
The EDCaDS generally supports the data collection, processing, and dissemination systems that are associated with Census Bureau programs.
The FY2025 stated goal for the EDCaDS is "to provide for large cyclical systems that must be scaled for peak operations for the Decennial Census, the Economic Census, and the Census of Governments." Within this program, the Census Bureau plans to support Executive Order 14110, "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)," by working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to leverage privacy-enhancing technology with the goal of protecting respondent privacy from AI threats.
The FY2025 request for the EDCaDS is $269 million, a $53 million increase from the FY2023 actual level of $216 million.
Congressional Action
On May 8, 2024, the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the FY2025 request for the Department of Commerce, during which the then-Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, took questions from Members.
With respect to the Census Bureau, members of the committee asked questions relating to adding a citizenship question to the 2030 decennial census (this was considered but not implemented for the 2020 decennial census) and the cost for nonresponse follow up on the Annual Business Survey (ABS).
On May 15, 2024, the Senate Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing on the FY2025 request for the Department of Commerce, during which Secretary Raimondo took questions from Members.
One member of the subcommittee posed questions to Secretary Raimondo regarding the surveying of noncitizens during the decennial census and how this is included in apportionment counts.
On July 11, 2024, the House Committee on Appropriations reported the CJS FY2025 appropriations bill, recommending $1.354 billion for the Census Bureau, which is $224 million below the President's FY2025 request and $29 million below the FY2024 enacted amount. This recommendation includes $300 million for the Current Surveys and Programs account; and $1.054 billion for the Periodic Censuses and Programs account.