The secretary is making his first public appearance here

today with all of you-- again another significant gesture

about the importance of the 2010 census.

So please help me welcome commerce secretary, Gary Locke.

[GARY LOCKE] Well thank you very much,

Juan, for the introduction.

And I appreciate the great work that you do

on NPR and on Fox News.

It's really a pleasure to be here this morning speaking

out to so many organizations and individuals who are joining

with the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce

in promoting one of our nation's most important

and sacred events.

Actually, Juan said that this is my first public appearance

as Secretary of Commerce.

This is actually my first duty as secretary of commerce.

I was confirmed by the senate last week,

came into Washington D.C. late last night got into the hotel

about 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and instead of going

to the Department of Commerce this morning I came here.

So this is my very first stop in my official duty

as Secretary of Commerce.

But it's a measure of the priority that the Department

of Commerce and the Census Bureau has.

And it's a-- a measure of my commitment as well.

Yours is an extraordinary commitment.

Your organizations and you as individuals are not being paid

by the federal government to do this work

on behalf of the Census Bureau.

You're doing it because you understand and believe

in the tenets of quality and full representation regardless

of economic status, regardless of race or ethnic origin.

And that in fact is the foundation of the census.

The census stems or goes back to the origins of our country.

It's spelled out in the Constitution.

In 1790 it was the subject

of the very first presidential veto in American history.

And it was a subject of dispute

between Thomas Jefferson and Hamilton.

The census is in the origin of our democracy.

And it must include everyone.

And we're gonna make sure

that the Census Bureau has the independent leadership

that it deserves and the professional oversight

that the American people demand.

In 2000 the Census Bureau had more than 140,000 partners

who helped encourage the residents of the United States

to stand up and be counted.

For the 2010 census we will mobilize a very broad

and diverse coalition of trusted members of the community

to reach out to all Americans especially those

who are least likely to be counted.

The Census Bureau depends on volunteers and organizations

like you from every corner of America.

It is your familiar, trusted voices

that will help us succeed.

We need you.

We need you to be active in your communities, in your churches,

your schools, soup kitchens, businesses, homeless shelters,

community centers, food banks, on the newspaper,

on the television, over the Internet,

educating residents about the census.

The census determines how many members

of Congress for each state.

And then it's used by the states to determine the boundaries

of each congressional district as well

as legislative districts.

It also helps determine how some $300 billion every year

by the federal government is allocated to our communities

for programs ranging from education to human services.

So being counted means deserved,

well deserved dollars for our communities,

dollars that our communities need and truly deserve.

It's our job to let Americans know that taking part

in the census is important, easy and safe.

Residents must know that their information is secure.

That it is illegal for members of the Census Bureau

to share any personal information with anyone.

And that means other law enforcement agencies whether

it's the IRS, the FBI,

immigration or welfare officials.

Any information collected

by the Census Bureau is absolutely confidential.

And please, please let people know that this year,

the 2010 Census is very simple.

2010, ten questions, ten minutes.

So completing the census form will be very, very easy.

And for every census form returned

in the mail it will save the federal government more money

down the road in terms of trying to send out people

into the communities to determine the count.

The census is one of the most important functions

of the federal government.

And your commitment as a partner is absolutely critical.

We will not be able to do this census without you

and the organizations you represent.

We're excited about the events and the activities

that will take place over the next 12 months

as we approach April 1, 2010, united in a cause

that effects the lives of every single person in America.

For almost 210 years the government has conducted a

census and our goal remains the same.

Count every American once, only once and in the right location.

And I thank you for your involvement

and wish you all great luck and good work in the year ahead.

Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)