An Act to amend title 13, United States Code, to provide for a mid-decade census of population, and for other purposes.
Public Law 94-521 · H.R. 11337 · 94th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 17, 1976 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-CO-1)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. William Lehman, Rep. Gladys Spellman,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 237 yea, 94 nay237–94
- SenateMethod not stated
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to furnish, upon written request, authenticated copies of census surveys or reports filed by, or on behalf of, an individual or organization to such individual or organization or to the heir or agent of such individual or organization.
Allows the Secretary to furnish copies of tabulations and other statistical materials which do not disclose the information reported by any individual or organization to any private person or agency requesting such information upon payment of the cost of such work.
Directs that in no case shall information furnished pursuant to a census be used to the detriment of any respondent.
Directs the Secretary in the year 1985, and every ten years thereafter, to conduct a mid-decade census of population.
Requires that the determination of the elibility of States, local governments, and other recipients for Federal benefits be based on the most recent data obtained in either the mid-decade or decennial census.
Stipulates that information obtained in such mid-decade census shall not be used for apportionment of Representatives in Congress, nor for prescribing congressional districts.
Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress the questions proposed to be included in the decennial and mid-decade censuses.
Directs the Secretary, to the extent feasible, to annually produce and publish current total population data on each State, county, and local unit of general purpose government which has a population of 50,000 or more and to biennially produce and publish such information for other units of general purpose government.
Expands the geographic scope of censuses undertaken by the Secretary to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.
Authorizes the Secretary to conduct special censuses for the government of any State or political subdivision thereof upon the payment to the Secretary of the cost of such special census.
Increases the penalty for wrongful disclosure of census information by census employees or staff members from a $1,000 fine and/or two years imprisonment to a $5,000 fine and/or five years imprisonment.
Eliminates the penalty of imprisonment for refusing or willfully neglecting to answer questions asked on a census questionaire. Provides that a person may not be compelled to disclose information regarding his religious beliefs or membership in a religious body.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 94th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 237 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
237 yea95 nay98 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(189)
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-21
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
- Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-1
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-14
- Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7- Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
- Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
- Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
- Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
- Rep. William BrodheadD-MI-17
- Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
- Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
- Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
- Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
- Rep. Edward BeardD-RI-2
- Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
- Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
- Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. John DentD-PA-21
- Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
- Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
- Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Paul TsongasD-MA-5
- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-42
- Rep. Philip HayesD-IN-8
- Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
- Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
- Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
- Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
- Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
- Rep. Herbert HarrisD-VA-8
- Rep. Richard Vander VeenD-MI-5
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
- Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
- Rep. Robert CornellD-WI-8
- Rep. Gene MaguireD-NJ-7
- Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-23
- Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. Edward PattisonD-NY-29
- Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. Gladys SpellmanD-MD-5
- Rep. James LloydD-CA-35
Rep. Max BaucusD-MT-1- Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
- Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
- Rep. Joseph FisherD-VA-10
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Michael BlouinD-IA-2
- Rep. Mark HannafordD-CA-34
- Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
- Rep. Clifford AllenD-TN-5
- Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
- Rep. John KrebsD-CA-17
- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Robert DuncanD-OR-3
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Jerome AmbroD-NY-3
- Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
- Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
- Rep. Bob CarrD-MI-6
- Rep. Theodore RisenhooverD-OK-2
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
- Rep. James SantiniD-NV
- Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Stephen NealD-NC-5
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
- Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-10
- Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
- Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
- Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
- Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
- Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
- Rep. Robert KruegerD-TX-21
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
- Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
- Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
- Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
- Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
- Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
- Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
- Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. James MannD-SC-4
- Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
- Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
- Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Republicans who voted yea(48)
- Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
- Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
- Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
- Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
- Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
- Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-12
- Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
- Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
- Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
- Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
- Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
- Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
- Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
- Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
- Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
- Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
- Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-41
- Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
- Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
- Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
- Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
- Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. Robert KastenR-WI-9
- Rep. Thomas HagedornR-MN-2
- Rep. Gary MyersR-PA-25
- Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
- Rep. Richard KellyR-FL-5
- Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 1273 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Post Office and Civil Service Committee · Senate · discharged from, referred to
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.
- Oct 17, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-521.
- Oct 6, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Oct 5, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 1, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #863 (237-94).House roll call 863
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #863 (237-94).House roll call 863
- Sep 30, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Sep 29, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report considered in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-1719.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 94-1719.
- Sep 28, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Sep 23, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 3688.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Sep 16, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 8, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Apr 7, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- Mar 24, 1976CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- Dec 19, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Post Office and Civil Service Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.