This memorandum officially documents the U.S. Census Bureau’s plan to develop and transmit to Congress the Subjects Planned for the 2020 Census Program and Questions Planned for the 2020 Census Program.

Title 13, U.S. Code requires the Census Bureau to send Congress the subjects proposed to be included in the census not later than three years before the Census date. Congress will receive the Subjects Planned for the 2020 Census Program, describing the subjects proposed for the 2020 Census and the American Community Survey (ACS) before March 31, 2017.

Title 13 also requires that Congress receive the specific questions proposed to be included in the census not later than two years before the Census date. Congress will receive the Questions Planned for the 2020 Census Program, introducing the questions proposed for the 2020 Census and the ACS before March 31, 2018.

The Census Bureau will submit the topics included on the 2020 Census and ACS jointly, as ACS will incorporate 2020 Census content beginning in 2019, and the Census of Island Areas will incorporate a selection of these subjects and questions as well. As preparations begin for the 2020 Census, the content of both operations is jointly considered and finalized.

Previous submissions of the documentation regarding subjects and questions included the following information, examples of which can be seen in Appendices A and B:

Subjects Planned Documentation

• A brief summary of the data created by each question collected;
• An explanation of how the data are currently used to meet federal needs;
• A selection of non-federal community uses of the data; and
• Selected statutory uses by agency.

Questions Planned Documentation

• An image of the paper (mailed) version of each question;
• A brief summary of the data created by each question collected;
• An explanation of how the data are currently used to meet federal needs; and
• A selection of non-federal community uses of the data.

The documentation submitted in 2017 and 2018 will include the same complement of information. Additionally, although the ACS and 2020 questions differ by response mode, the version highlighted in the question documentation will continue to be the version included on the paper questionnaire.

Many stakeholders share an interest in the 2020 Census and ACS content, including federal agencies, federal statistical agencies, state and local governments, those who will respond to the 2020 Census and ACS, academia, businesses, nonprofit organizations, media, data users, and oversight groups. The Census Bureau will develop this documentation through a process that is clear and transparent to all stakeholders, and offer opportunities for input to be provided and considered throughout the process.

The table below contains a timeline for this document development, as well as opportunities for stakeholders to comment on proposed content.¹

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¹ These dates are intended to show the planned phases in the development of this documentation, though actual dates may be subject to change.