NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Senate Votes to Ban Illegals in Census

The Senate for the third time approved legislation to bar the Census Bureau from counting illegal aliens next year. The census count is used to determine how many seats each state will get in the House of Representatives after reapportionment, and in some cases to divide federal funds for states. However, the measure is unlikely to prevail. The two previous Senate-passed provisions were blocked from consideration in the House. The measure, attached to a foreign aid bill approved by the Senate, now goes to a conference committee to resolve remaining differences with the House.