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ACS and ACS CAN Comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce in Response to Proposed Changes to the Decennial Census

October 13, 2026

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Census Bureau’s Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions proposed rule.

ACS and ACS CAN are concerned that the rule's proposed changes to the criteria for determining an individual’s residence for purposes of the decennial census would exclude a meaningfully large portion of the U.S. population from the annual Census, including immigrants.

ACS and ACS CAN also oppose the Department's proposal to prohibit the inclusion of questions about race and ethnicity or sexual orientation from the short-form questionnaire or any questionnaire used for purposes of the decennial census and urge the Department to reconsider the prohibition of certain demographic data such as race, ethnicity and sexual orientation used for purposes of enumeration.

Please download the full comments.

PDF icon ACS and ACS CAN Comments on Proposed Changes to the Decennial Census

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