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Decennial Census Improvement Act of 1991

Public Law 102-135 · H.R. 3280 · 102nd Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 24, 1991 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Thomas Sawyer (D-OH-14)

Cosponsors (31): Rep. Thomas Ridge,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Decennial Census Improvement Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to study and report to the Secretary and the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service and the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on: (1) means by which the Government could achieve the most accurate population count possible; and (2) ways for the Government to collect other demographic and housing data. Requires the study to consider the need for the types of data (other than the population count) collected in the last decennial census and whether there are more effective ways or alternative sources and methodologies for obtaining reliable information in a timely manner.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Census and Population Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.

  1. Oct 24, 1991Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-135.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 18, 1991PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 9, 1991Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Sawyer asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendments.
  7. Oct 3, 1991FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  8. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1252 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1251 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  10. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  11. Sep 30, 1991FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Sawyer moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  15. Sep 25, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  16. Sep 17, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  18. Aug 12, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Census and Population Subcommittee of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  19. Aug 2, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
  20. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.