NATION : House Halts Bar to Aliens in Census
In a move potentially affecting future political power of individual states, the House blocked an effort today to bar the Census Bureau from counting illegal aliens during the 1990 census.
Proponents of an amendment to exclude illegal aliens said their numbers should not be used to determine the states’ representation in the House. The Constitution provides that the 435 House seats are apportioned among the states based on their population as determined by the census.
The issue was debated during consideration of the 1990 appropriation bill for the Department of Commerce, which includes the Census Bureau. Rep. Tom Ridge (R-Pa.) sought to offer an amendment prohibiting the counting of illegal aliens, but in a series of parliamentary maneuvers and votes his amendment was not allowed.
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