This hearing, which is the first of a series of hearings on the 1990 decennial census, focuses on automation activities, pretest preparations, and proposed residency rules. Gene L. Dodaro, associate director of the General Accounting Office, calls on the committee to use special purpose tests to adequately evaluate the following: (1) potential of different types of data entry equipment; (2) questionnaires, specifically a short simplied form; and (3) procedures, including the two-stage census and multi-phase mail followups. Sherman Funk, Inspector General of the Department of Commerce, says the following improvements in Census ADP Systems development are needed: (1) long range planning group should be expanded and headed by an experienced senior executive; (2) an automation master plan should be prepared; and (3) census ADP systems development should be continuous and separate from the decennial process. John G. Keane, Director of Bureau of the Census, and Peter A. Bounpane, Assistant Director for Demographic Censuses, give an overview of the census. Also included in the hearing are an address by New York Mayor Edward I. Koch, preliminary recommendations on enumeration and residence rules, and additional material on questionnaire content and design. (LMO)