WHEREAS,  Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires an enumeration of the population every 10 years to apportion congressional representation among the states; and

WHEREAS,  pursuant to 13 United States Code, Section 141, the next Federal Decennial Census of the population will be taken beginning April 1, 2020 and concluding on July 31, 2020; and

WHEREAS,  data derived from the census determines how approximately $800 billion in federal spending to support education, transportation, publicly funded health care, law enforcement and other important public services is allocated among the states; and

WHEREAS,  a complete and accurate count of Maine's population is essential because the census count determines congressional representation and state redistricting and also determines federal formula grant allocations for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Title IV-E foster care, Title IV-E adoption assistance and the Child Care and Development Fund for an entire decade until the next Federal Decennial Census is taken; and

WHEREAS,  Maine's fiscal loss in programs guided by Federal Medical Assistance Percentages was $16,420 per person missed in the 2010 census over the 10-year census cycle; and

WHEREAS,  the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census acknowledges the long-standing undercount of young children in the Federal Decennial Census and has spent years researching children who were missed in the 2010 census and creating resources in an attempt to reduce this undercount in the 2020 census; and

WHEREAS,  it is vitally important to ensure that every Maine resident is counted in the 2020 census and that Maine gets its fair share of federal funds; and

WHEREAS,  the Governor has, by Executive Order 12 FY 19/20, created the Maine Complete Count Committee, which, using the knowledge and expertise of Maine's administrative agencies, will develop and coordinate a census outreach program to increase awareness about the 2020 census and motivate residents in the community to respond; and

WHEREAS,  such complete count committees have also been established by Maine's tribal and local governments and community organizations, faith-based groups, schools, libraries, businesses, the media and others, which will play a key role in educating and motivating residents to participate in the 2020 census; now, therefore, be it