<Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.census.gov </Td> </Tr> <P> The United States Census Bureau (USCB; officially the Bureau of the Census, as defined in Title 13 U.S.C. § 11) is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy . The Census Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce and its director is appointed by the President of the United States . </P> <P> The Census Bureau's primary mission is conducting the U.S. Census every ten years, which allocates the seats of the U.S. House of Representatives to the states based on their population . The Bureau's various censuses and surveys help allocate over $400 billion in federal funds every year and it helps states, local communities, and businesses make informed decisions . The information provided by the census informs decisions on where to build and maintain schools, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and police and fire departments . </P> <P> In addition to the decennial census, the Census Bureau continually conducts dozens of other censuses and surveys, including the American Community Survey, the U.S. Economic Census, and the Current Population Survey . Furthermore, economic and foreign trade indicators released by the federal government typically contain data produced by the Census Bureau . </P>

The population census every 10 years was instituted in order to