This week's In the News looks at current debate over the United States year 2000 Census. Political debate concerning US Department of Commerce statistical methods for the up-coming 2000 Census intensified further this month with the passing of bill 472 in the US House of Representatives on April 14. The bill was sponsored by Florida Representative Dan Miller and, according to House democrats, represents Republican attempts "to undermine the accuracy of the next Census." Republican party members maintain that H.R. 472 ensures a "fair, accurate" Census and allows local governments instead of "Washington bureaucrats" to review the count for possible mistakes. According to the Census Bureau, the 1990 census missed 8.4 million people -- especially minorities, children, the poor, and rural residents. The Census Bureau maintains that the modern estimation technique of "sampling" could eliminate past undercounts. The US Supreme Court ruled out statistical sampling in Department of Commerce v. United States House of Representatives (No 98-404), on January 25, 1999, however, leaving the Census Bureau to count Americans with existing methodologies. The eight resources discussed sketch the contours of the debate with opinion from government agencies and the major US political parties, and provide legislative documents and background information on ethnic diversity in America.