(ROCHESTER, NY) - Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) submitted a formal letter to U.S. Department of Commerce and Census Bureau to express strong opposition to the proposed changes to the 2030 Decennial Census that would exclude certain noncitizens from the population count used to determine congressional representation. 

In his letter, Senator Cooney raised concerns that the proposed changes would undermine the accuracy of the Census, and discourage participation among historically underrepresented and undercounted communities. The Senator also highlighted his legislation, the New York Counts Act (S.6898), which would establish a coordinated statewide effort to prepare for the 2030 Census and ensure all New Yorkers are accurately counted. 

“An accurate Census is the difference between fair representation in Washington and communities in New York losing out on the federal resources and funding they deserve,” said Senator Jeremy Cooney. “In 2020, New York lost a congressional seat by just 89 people. As we approach the 2030 Census, we cannot afford to leave a single New Yorker uncounted. These proposed changes threaten the accuracy of our population counts and could have lasting effects on our state. I urge the Department of Commerce and Census Bureau to do the right thing and reject the proposed changes.”  

Senator Cooney’s letter cites that the U.S. Constitution requires the Census to count the “whole number of persons in each State,” and emphasizes that changing this standard would undermine the accuracy of the decennial count and could have significant consequences for New York State.

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