Census director to get new authority over numbers

Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta has decided to give the Census Bureau director the power to decide which census numbers- sampling or more traditional unadjusted data-are more accurate for redistricting.

The bureau said the delegation will make the decision on which numbers to use less political.

Carolyn Maloney, D.-N.Y., ranking member of the House Government Reform Census Subcommittee, hailed the formal shift in authority, which the Commerce Department first suggested in June.

"If you stopped anyone on the street and asked them who should be making decisions on the census, politicians or scientists, they would tell you scientists," Maloney said.

But congressional Republicans, such as House Government Reform Census Subcommittee Chairman Dan Miller, R-Fla., contend the shift in authority is anything but apolitical, suggesting it would make it more difficult for a GOP administration to prevent the release of sampling numbers.

"Once again, it will require the courts to stop illegal actions by this administration," Miller said in a statement.

"Congress gave the authority to release adjusted numbers to the Commerce Secretary, and only Congress can take that authority away."