United States President Donald Trump has said that the 2020
Census will be completed safely and accurately, despite the coronavirus
pandemic.
According to CNN, the Census Bureau will ask Congress for a
120-day extension, which Trump feels is not long enough.
“During this difficult time we’re also working to
ensure that the 2020 Census is completed safely and accurately. We may be
asking for an extension because, obviously, they can’t be doing very much right
now. They wouldn’t even be allowed to do it. So the Census, we are going to be
asking for a delay, a major delay,” Trump said.
The Federal law requires the Census data to be compiled
before the end of this year.
“In addition, as millions of Americans continue to
complete their questionnaire online, the Census Bureau asked Congress for a
120-day extension. I don’t know if you even have to ask them. This is called an
act of God. This is called a situation that has to be — they have to give it
and I think 120 days isn’t nearly enough,” Trump said.
The Commerce Department acknowledged the timeline changes
and said in a statement it is “seeking statutory relief from Congress of
120 additional calendar days to deliver final apportionment counts.”
The department said it is developing a plan to re-open hundreds
of field offices nationwide on June 1 and begin deploying tens of thousands of
enumerators nationwide.
The US is the recent worst-hit country after Italy and Spain,
with COVID-19 cases tallying to 587,337 with death toll standing at 23,649.
The recovery numbers stand at 44,207 as the government
remains adamant that it will contain the virus before mid-year.