Washington — 

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today led his colleagues in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in urging the Office of Management and Budget acting director to reject recommendations that would increase the population threshold for communities to be considered metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). In doing so, certain communities with a population less than 100,000, like Rapid City, would be stripped of their MSA classification, which would potentially affect eligibility for funding through certain federal programs.

“As OMB continues to consider the Committee’s recommendations and review the public comments on this notice, we strongly encourage you to reject any increase in the minimum urbanized area population needed to qualify as an MSA,” the members wrote. “Adhering to this recommendation has the potential to harm communities across the nation, which we hope you take into account while considering these recommendations.”

Joining Thune in sending the letter were Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), and Adrian Smith (R-Neb.).

 

Full text of the letter below:

Dear Acting Director Fairweather:

On January 19, 2021, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a notice and a request for public comment on multiple recommendations from the Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Standards Review Committee (the Committee)[1].  We write in response to this notice and to highlight a pressing concern with one of the Committee’s recommendations.

As you well know, OMB periodically reviews its criteria used to delineate Census Bureau data and determine the standards of categorizing metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).  These standards were last updated in 2010 and, according to the public notice, OMB directed the Committee to again review these MSA standards and develop recommendations.  Of the six recommendations developed by the Committee, the recommendation to increase the urban area population needed to qualify as an MSA from 50,000 to 100,000 is of immediate and upmost concern.

Though these MSA standards and other Census Bureau data being deliberated as part of these recommendations are intended to affect OMB’s statistical and data collection activities, the recommendations would also affect eligibility for certain federal programs and grant opportunities.  If the recommendation to increase the required urbanized area population from 50,000 to 100,000 is accepted and the MSA classification is revoked, 144 communities nationwide could lose eligibility for certain federal programs[2]. 

As OMB continues to consider the Committee’s recommendations and review the public comments on this notice, we strongly encourage you to reject any increase in the minimum urbanized area population needed to qualify as an MSA.  Adhering to this recommendation has the potential to harm communities across the nation, which we hope you take into account while considering these recommendations. 

 

              Sincerely,