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Freedom from Government Surveys Act
To provide that participation in the American Community Survey is voluntary.
Summary
The Freedom from Government Surveys Act makes participation in the American Community Survey voluntary by exempting respondents from penalties for refusing or neglecting to answer survey questions. The bill removes the applicability of penalty provisions in federal census law to the American Community Survey. The bill also requires the Secretary of Commerce to include a statement on the American Community Survey indicating that participation is voluntary.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID)
4 cosponsors
- Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID)
- Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (R-MT)
- Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS] (R-MS)
- Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY] (R-WY)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to James E. Risch’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- ALPHA SERVICES LLC $10,000
- 1ST FINANCIAL BANK USA $6,600
- CIVIC SERVICE INC. $6,600
- SINCLAIR COMPANIES $6,600
- SOROBAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LP $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for James E. Risch → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jan 28, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. · senate
- Jan 28, 2025 Introduced in Senate
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 28, 2025
Mr. Risch (for himself, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Daines, and Mr. Crapo) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To provide that participation in the American Community Survey is voluntary.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Freedom from Government Surveys Act”.
SEC. 2. VOLUNTARY NATURE OF AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.
(a) No Penalty for Failure To Respond.—Section 221 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Voluntary Nature of American Community Survey.—Subsection
(a) shall not apply to any person who refuses or neglects to answer any question on the American Community Survey (or any successor survey).”.
(b) Clarification of Voluntary Nature on Survey.—Section 193 of title 13, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by striking “In advance” and inserting the following:
“(a) In General.—In advance”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
“(b) Clarification of Voluntary Nature of American Community Survey.—The Secretary shall include on the American Community Survey (or any successor survey) a statement that participation in the survey is voluntary.”. <all>
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