Press Release

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2008
Contact: Jon Houston, (202) 225-7944
Maloney hails 25th Anniversary of SIPP, Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Participation
Bush Administration Tried to Abolish Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) honored the 25th Anniversary of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a survey which the U.S. Census bureau established in 1983.
"October, 2008 marks 25 years of SIPP data collection. The vital data collected by career professional at the Census Bureau allows for the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs and gives us a more robust picture of how well we are doing as a nation in helping families progress through tough economic challenges" Maloney said.

The first SIPP interviews were collected after many years of planning and budget uncertainty in 1983 and measured trends in income, how many families have moved up and out of poverty, and how many families participate in income support programs.

"In recent years, data from the SIPP has helped Congress make decisions about the school lunch program, home heating assistance, and welfare reform” Maloney said. "The SIPP allows Congress to allocate scarce government resources and save tax dollars. It’s fitting that during this national economic crisis we draw attention to this important diagnostic tool which helps us understand how we can best provide assistance to families in need.”

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