April 4, 2006

Dear Senator or Representative:

As advocates for family well-being, we are alarmed that the President's FY2007 budget calls for the elimination of the Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Elimination of the SIPP would make it more difficult for researchers to assess the economic and social situation of the country's families and the impact of state and national policies. The lack of accurate information will inevitably have negative consequences for low-income families and children.

Many experts believe that the SIPP is the nation's best source of data about poverty and income. For example, the National Academy of Sciences states, "SIPP should become the nation's primary source of income statistics... [Other national surveys] can never be designed to provide the same extent of detail or achieve the same quality of reporting as in SIPP."

The SIPP provides essential information on the extent to which programs -- such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Social Security, and unemployment insurance -- meet families' basic needs and promote upward mobility. The SIPP also tracks health insurance coverage, and provides more in-depth information than any other government survey on work/family issues, such as maternity leave. Since the SIPP is a longitudinal survey that tracks the same families over time, the SIPP's data are richer and more detailed than other surveys. In addition, the SIPP compares well in terms of accuracy to other surveys. If we lose the SIPP for even one year, then the continuity of data that makes the SIPP unique will be lost.

For good policy, we need good data. The Census Bureau has proposed creating a new survey to replace the SIPP in 2008. This will inevitably result in a loss of data, as experience shows it takes about seven years to develop broad national surveys. As workers, parents and families, we cannot afford to wait years to learn how today's policies are working.

As you consider legislation and appropriations this year, we, the undersigned organizations, urge you to ensure that Congress continues to fully fund the SIPP.

Sincerely,

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 9to5, National Association of Working Women ActionAid International USA Alliance for Children and Families Alternatives to Marriage Project American Association of People with Disabilities American Association of University Women American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees American Psychological Association American Sociological Association Arab American Institute Foundation Center for Community Change Center for Economic and Policy Research Center for Housing Policy Center for Law and Social Policy Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. Center for Women Policy Studies Children's Defense Fund Coalition for Health Services Research Coalition on Human Needs Consumer Federation of America Corporation for Enterprise Development Families USA Food Research and Action Center Friends Committee on National Legislation Institute for America's Future Legal Aid Society Legal Momentum Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Missionary Oblates Mothers & More The Mothers Movement Online National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies National Coalition for the Homeless National Council on Aging National Health Law Program National Housing Conference National Low Income Housing Coalition National Partnership for Women & Families National Welfare Engine National WIC Association National Women's Law Center NCA Union Retirees NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Washington Office RESULTS Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries United Church of Christ Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility United for a Fair Economy USAction Welfare Law Center Wider Opportunities for Women YWCA USA

STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS Alliance to Defend Health Care (MA) Asset Building Strategies (CA) Association for Children of New Jersey (NJ) Because People Matter paper (CA) Bicycle Advocacy Group (NM) California Partnership (CA) California Reinvestment Coalition (CA) Center for Full Employment and Price Stability (MO) Center for Public Policy Priorities (TX) Center on Social Disparities in Health (CA) CHILDREN AT RISK (TX) Children's Action Alliance (AZ) Children's Alliance (WA) Citizen Action of New York (NY) Coalition for the Homeless (NY) Community Action Project of Tulsa County (OK) Connecticut Call to Action (CT) Connecticut Voices for Children (CT) Caroline Carey, Consultant (CO) Context Business Consulting (NJ) DeLaroche & Company, Inc. (CA) Dynasim Company (MI) Economic Development Corporation (CA) Every Child Counts (IA) Fiscal Policy Institute (NY) Forest Hills PA Borough Council – Chair, Planning & Zoning (PA) Four Bands Community Fund, Inc. (SD) Greater Hartford Legal Aid (CT) Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger (PA) Greater Rochester Interfaith Health Care Coalition (NY) Greenlining Institute (CA) Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights (IL) Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues, Inc. (IN) Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (IA) Iowa Coalition for Housing & the Homeless (IA) JOBS NOW Coalition (MN) Just Harvest: A Center for Action Against Hunger (PA) Kansas National Organization for Women (KS) Keystone Research Center (PA) Kunz Center for the Study of Work & Family (OH) Long Island Health Access Monitoring Project (NY) Latino Health Access (CA) Little Gables Neighborhood Association (FL) Maine Center for Economic Policy (ME) Maine Children's Alliance (ME) Maine Women's Lobby (ME) Marc August International (CA) Martha Baker Consulting LLC (NY) Montgomery County Department of Social Services (VA) New Jersey Citizen Action (NJ) New Mexico Voices for Children (NM) North Carolina Budget & Tax Center (NC) Oregon Human Rights Coalition (OR) Pambeal Group for Peace (ME) Partners in Ending Hunger (ME) Pennsylvania NOW, Inc. (PA) Policy Matters Ohio (OH) Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (NV) Salt Lake Community Action Program (UT) San Francisco Gray Panthers (CA) Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (NY) Service Employees International Union Local 535 (CA) South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center (SC) Texas Asset Building Coalition (TX) The Center for Community Solutions (OH) The Piton Foundation (CO) Towson Campus Greens (MD) UAW Retirees Chapter (MI) UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education (CA) Uintah Basin Association of Governments (UT) Urban Justice Center (NY) Utah Community Action Partnership Association (UT) Virginia Poverty Law Center (VA) VOICES for Alabama's Children (AL) Voices for Utah Children (UT) Washington Association of Churches (WA) Washington County Community Partnership (MO) West Virginia Citizen Action Group (WV) Western Center on Law and Poverty (CA) Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WI)

cc: Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez, U.S. Department of Commerce
Director Charles Louis Kincannon, U.S. Census Bureau