During a recent government meeting, concerns were raised about the accuracy of the last U.S. Census, particularly regarding how it was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. A committee member highlighted their previous involvement in census oversight and expressed worries about the impact of the pandemic on data collection.

The member noted that in past censuses, if households did not fill out their forms, census workers would visit them to assist in the process. However, they questioned how this was managed during the pandemic, suggesting that many homes may not have been contacted due to health restrictions.

In response, a census official clarified the process. They explained that the Census Bureau sent multiple mailings to households, encouraging self-response. If households did not respond, a follow-up phase was initiated. This phase involved census workers visiting homes that had not filled out their forms. The official stated that every household that did not respond was indeed contacted by a census employee.

Despite this assurance, the committee member remained skeptical, questioning the effectiveness of the follow-up process and suggesting that there may have been significant errors in the census data. The discussion highlighted ongoing concerns about the integrity of federal agencies and their operations during challenging times.