Washington, D.C. —U.S. Representative Mondaire Jones (D-NY) joined his colleagues on the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, Chair David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Representatives Katie Porter (D-CA) and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), in sending a letter to the U.S. Census Bureau urging them to take active measures to include research and information on LGBTQ+ communities in the 2030 Census.

“Better data leads to better policies, programs, and service delivery,” wrote the lawmakers.“We know the data collected in the 2030 Census will not just influence policy decisions but also the allocation of critical resources. Diverse LGBTQ+ people deserve to be counted and have their voices heard.”

During the Obama administration, several federal agencies asked the Census Bureau to add questions about sexual orientation and gender identity to the American Community Survey. The Department of Justice specifically listed numerous legal authorities that supported the necessity for collecting data about the LGBTQ+ population. However, under the Trump Administration, the Department of Justice said it was unable to reaffirm its request for this information, and the Census Bureau consequently stopped evaluating whether to include questions relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.

As one of the only openly gay members of Congress, Rep. Jones has been a leading voice on LGBTQ+ issues. He fought to pass the Respect for Marriage Actthrough the House in order to codify the fundamental right to marriage equality, and at the height of the monkeypox outbreak this summer, he called on the Biden administration to coordinate a swift, equitable response while working against harmful anti-LGBTQ+ stereotypes. Rep. Jones also secured $1.5 million in funding for the Rockland Pride Center to build the first LGBTQ+ community clinic in the region and provide vital health services to LGBTQ+ individuals in NY-17 and throughout the area.

Text of Letter