ross who oversees the census beard row says the question was requested by the justice department to help enforce the voting rights act of 1965. voting rights activists weren't buying that explanation. more than a dozen states filed lawsuits to block the question, saying it was a blatant attempt to give republicans an advantage by undercounting traditionally democratic communities. the case eventually made it all the way to the docket of the supreme court. around the same time, congressional democrats called a hearing to demand answers from ross. >> thank you very much. >> ross stuck to his story. >> doj sought census block level citizenship data for use in voting rights act enforcement. >> and supporters like republican representative james comer of kentucky argue the citizenship question is necessary. >> every working taxpaying citizen should want to know how many people are living in the united states. your tax dollars go to things to build infrastructure, to do