Proposed rule changes could cut data tied to Native populations
Public comment period ends Oct. 13
The deadline to submit public comments on proposed changes for the 2030 U.S. Census is fast approaching after the Census Bureau truncated its standard noticing period of 30 days down to just two weeks. General public comment ends Oct. 13. Tribal Nations and tribal-serving organizations have until Nov. 2 to provide comments.
Native-led groups have urged Indigenous commenters to weigh in on the 2030 process, which could include a new rule eliminating race/ethnicity questions. For people in American Indian and Alaska Native populations, this rule change could have substantial impacts on future funding. Housing, community development, maternal health and transportation across Indian Country are all tied to funding based on Census data.
“If adopted,” the National Congress of American Indians stated on its website, “the proposed rule would fundamentally change how the 2030 census counts every person in the United States.”
NCAI offers information about the proposed rules and guidance on submitting official comment.
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