Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to add questions about sexual orientation and gender identity to the U.S. census by 2030, HuffPost reports.
Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Tom Carper, D-Del., have introduced the Census Equality Act, which would make it a requirement that the Census Bureau add questions on those subjects by 2030.
"The spirit of the census is that no one should go uncounted and no one should be invisible," Harris said in a statement on Tuesday. "We must expand data collections efforts to ensure the LGBTQ community is not only seen, but fully accounted for in terms of government resources provided. This information can also provide us with better tools to enforce civil rights protections for a community that is too often discriminated against."
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Corey Booker, D-N.J., have all expressed support for the bill, arguing that it will help LGBTQ people gain access to services like Medicaid and other programs.
"Today, despite the fact that roughly 10 million Americans identify as LGBTQ, the community is left unrepresented on the census," Carper said in the statement on Tuesday. "In order for our government and the businesses that drive our economy to work for the American people, they must have the most accurate and comprehensive data on those they serve."
The Human Rights Campaign celebrated Harris and Carper for their efforts in Harris’ press release.
"It’s absolutely critical that we have the hard data needed to find solutions and address the unique challenges Americans face based on their sexual orientation or gender identity," said the group’s government affairs director, David Stacy. "The Census and American Community Survey are crucial tools to meet these needs."
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