FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2003 Mike Bergman CB03-36 Public Information Office (301) 763-3046/457-3670 (fax) (301) 457-1037 (TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Quotes & radio sound bites You may find an additional radio feature at www.marketplace.org. No Department of Commerce endorsement is implied with Minnesota Public Radio. Responses Required by Law Deadline Passes for Economic Census; Businesses Can Still File Forms The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today encouraged businesses that missed the Feb. 12 deadline for returning their 2002 Economic Census forms to complete and return them either via the Internet or by mail. Businesses that received the forms late last year are required by law —— Title 13 of the U.S. Code —— to respond. "The economic census is more important than ever," said Commerce Secretary Don Evans. "Participation by business is an act of corporate good citizenship and is critical to understanding the underpinnings of our ongoing economic recovery." Census Bureau Director C. Louis Kincannon said, "The quicker businesses respond, the faster we can compile the data and avoid costly efforts to get mandatory information. Answering this census promptly will save time and money for both government and business." The economic census produces widely used business statistics and is the primary benchmark for measuring 96 percent of the gross domestic product. The Census Bureau said businesses can request a 30-day reporting extension via the Internet www.census.gov/econhelp or by calling a toll-free number, (800) 233-6136, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. The Census Bureau sent economic census forms to 5 million businesses. Firms without paid employees and most companies with few workers did not receive the forms. Answers to questions can be reported either on the Internet at the above address or on paper questionnaires returned by mail. Data on 1,000 industries will be processed this year, with the first results expected in early 2004.