The census, which provides an extensive and objective look into the populations that make up our country, is a vital tool in our political process.

We conduct a Census every ten years to collect raw data about the American people and our communities. And if that count is inaccurate, it will turbocharge gerrymandering and make many of our district lines even more unfair than they already are for the next decade.

But at present, the 2020 Census is dangerously underfunded -- which will inevitably lead to an inaccurate count, and unfairly skew representation and public resources away from many communities.

People of color, particularly Black and Latino communities in both urban and rural areas, are at an especially high risk of being undercounted by an underfunded Census. A 2020 Census that systematically undercounts communities of color will deprive these communities of resources, weaken their political voice, and deny countless Americans the right to a democracy that truly represents all of us.

Therefore, getting the next Census’s count right is critical. Congress must act now and allocate the resources to do so.